Learning To Live
by ImagineATale
Summary: Gaston agrees to help Maurice much later than he does in the movie, and him leaving Maurice to the wolves is what Belle sees in the mirror. The last petal falls while Belle and Beast rescue Maurice. How will they move forward with life? Can they still lift the curse or at least reanimate the staff? Can Gaston see the error of his ways? (Inspired by ladivina's A Place Called Home)
1. The Terrible Affair

**Okay this story takes inspiration from and will probably share some similarities to Ladivina's brilliant story "A Place Called Home". But there will be some differences as well, and also a bit of rearranging of movie events. For one thing, I'm going to suppose for this story that Gaston never agrees to help Maurice rescue Belle until much later in Belle's tenure at the castle, so the whole thing where Maurice is left tied to a tree for the wolves is the scene that plays out in the mirror after Belle and Beast dance. For the inspiration of that part, I owe thanks to Mustard Lady and her story "There IS A Beast Running Wild", though there the circumstances are a bit different and leaving Maurice for dead happens at the correct place in the story, but it is what bred that particular plot bunny.**

 **I'm going to challenge myself a bit with naming chapters. Ever since I was 10-11 years old, so a little over two decades (I'm dating myself aren't I? lol), my favorite music has been by singer/songwriter Gordon Lightfoot (odd choice in music for a preteen in the mid-90's, but my mom brought home a CD one day and I was instantly hooked!). So I think I'll see if I can find lyrics from his songs that would make appropriate title chapters. Could be a challenge, but I decided I'd give it a shot.**

 **Within those parameters, titling this first chapter was quite a challenge. I finally decided to title this chapter "The Terrible Affair", lyrics found in the song _Cherokee Bend_ by Gordon Lightfoot. The song as a whole isn't appropriate to this chapter or story (as will likely be the case for most lyric-inspired chapter titles), but I decided that what Gaston did to Maurice qualifies as a pretty terrible affair indeed.**

 **And while I hadn't intended the title of the story itself to follow this naming scheme I'm applying to the chapters, it turns out that it does. The story title, Learning To Live, can be found in Gordon Lightfoot's song _The House You Live In_. **

"Where are we going?" Belle asked as Beast led her in from the ballroom balcony.

"West Wing," he responded. "I have a mirror there that will let you see your father. It shows you anything you'd like."

When they reached their destination, Beast picked up a mirror beside the bell jar containing the rose and handed it to Belle.

"I'd like to see my father," she said. After a moment, her expression became quizzical and concerned.

"Hmm," she said.

"Is there something wrong?" Beast asked.

"Possibly," Belle said. "He's in a wagon with Gaston and LeFou. In the woods. I'm not sure what's going on. I'm a little worried though. Do you mind looking with me?"

Beast placed a paw on her shoulder as he watched.

 _Gaston was beginning to lose his temper._

 _"I knew I shouldn't have relented and decided to follow you on this wild goose chase of yours to find a Beast in a castle holding Belle captive! Let's go back home!"_

 _"No," Maurice said. "This looks familiar. That's the tree that blocked my path. Though it seems to have resumed an upright position by some sort of magic or...other."_

"He told them about you, trying to get help," Belle said. "Likely they didn't believe him but he persisted and Gaston finally agreed. I can't shake the feeling he has some ulterior motive here. Can the mirror shift focus to Gaston?"

The mirror answered that question by shifting focus to Gaston. They caught the end of his response to Maurice.

 _"But there are wolves, frostbite, and starvation!" the hunter said._

 _"Then why did you agree to help?" Maurice asked._

 _"For one, because you kept insisting," Gaston said. "And because I want to marry your daughter. I figure if I come to the rescue, or try at least, you'll grant me her hand and end her little hard to get game."_

"I _knew_ it!" Belle said, an angry edge to her voice. "I knew he had to have some ulterior motive! He thinks I've been _playing_ hard to get! I _told_ him I would never marry him! I thought I made myself _perfectly_ clear!"

"Belle, look," Beast said. "Things are getting heated."

 _LeFou was now in view, trying to calm Gaston down._

 _"Think happy thoughts Gaston," he said. "Go back to the war. Blood...explosions...countless widows..."_

 _"Widows," Gaston said, calming down at the thought. Once calm, he walked over to Maurice. "Maurice, please forgive me old bean. That's no way to speak to my future father-in-law now is it?"_

 _"Future father-in-law?" Maurice responded incredulously, having seen Gaston's true nature. "You will never marry my daughter!"_

 _This was the last straw on Gaston's temper. He knocked Maurice out, and the older man sank to the ground unconscious._

Belle and Beast both winced. Belle began to shake and Beast pulled her in close to offer support.

 _Gaston was getting a rope from the wagon._

 _"If he won't give me his blessing then he's in my way," he announced as he tied Maurice to a tree. "Once the wolves get through with him Belle will have no one to take care of her but me. Once she returns from wherever she's wandered off to she'll have to marry me."_

 _Gaston got into the wagon._

 _"For the sake of exhausting all our options," LeFou, clearly uncomfortable with this plan said, "maybe we want to consider a less gruesome alternative?"_

 _"Are you coming LeFou?" Gaston asked, ignoring his friend's attempt at reason._

 _LeFou reluctantly climbed into the wagon and they headed off._

"Let's see Papa again," Belle said. Belle and Beast looked in horror at the unconscious man bound to a tree. "Oh Papa..." she said.

Beast saw that her hands were shaking so badly she was losing her grip on the mirror. He caught it as it slipped from her hands.

"You must go to him," he said.

"What did you say?" she asked, surprised.

"You must go to him. No time to waste. Get him untied from that tree and take him home."

"Home?"

"Yes," Beast said, glancing at the rose and knowing what he was doing would mean the curse would become permanent and trap the staff inside of inanimate objects that very night. "Home. I was wrong to hold you or him and without my past behavior he would not be in this predicament. I'm setting you free."

"Thank you," she said. "But...there's no freedom for either of us in Villeneuve. I never fit in, though Gaston seems to think that I am God's gift to him. And now it's the village where a man who just attempted murder on my father resides."

Beast pondered for a moment. Certainly Belle and her father were welcome to return to the castle, but could he suggest it without making the return seem obligatory? He had freed her after all.

"You're both welcome to come back here," he offered. "Though I doubt he will like the idea."

"We'll be safe here," Belle said. "He'll come around when he sees that you truly are a good person. Besides he will certainly be glad to be away from the man who made a murder attempt on him. Would...would you come with me by the way? I don't want to trouble you, but I don't know if I can get those knots loosened. No one ties tight knots like Gaston, I'm sure."

"No trouble at all," Beast said. "Go get Philippe ready. I'll alert the staff to prepare a room and meet you outside. Let's make haste, and get there while 'attempt' is the operative word."


	2. Relieve You Of Your Chains

**Okay, thanks to those who've reviewed thus far, and ladivina I'm glad you're interested. You actually convinced me to post it when I mentioned in a recent PM that I've got some chapters stockpiled but it may get close enough to your story that maybe I shouldn't, and you said that might actually be interesting. Plus, like I had said, there will be some differences, like the things I have floating in my head for Gaston being a bit diabolical. Put it this way, you were pretty darn kind to him giving him a blindness curse. Anything I'm deliberating is going to make life a bit more difficult for him...**

 **All right, so the Gordon Lightfoot song that inspired the title of this chapter is _All The Lovely Ladies_. Sure, Maurice was bound with a rope, not chains, but it seemed appropriate, since both serve the same purpose; restraint. **

Belle and Beast reached the tree where Maurice was tied just as fast as they could. Belle dismounted Philippe and rushed to her father's side.

"Papa, it's Belle," she said to the unconscious man. "I know you probably can't hear me but we're going to get you to safety."

"You were right to ask me to come," Beast said. "These knots are very tight. This Gaston fellow made very well sure your father could not escape should he awaken before the wolves finished him off. Does he really think you'd agree to marry him after this?"

"He figures I'll never know I'm sure," Belle said, watching Beast attack the knots. "Perfect way to kill somebody. Tie them to a tree for the wolves. He can get the job done without getting his hands dirty. Then once I'm returned and my father is mauled, he gets to swoop in like the hero to save the damsel in distress from having to beg on the streets. He's pointed out what happens to spinsters after their fathers die. What better way to trap me than make that a reality?"

Beast was disgusted by this. Belle wasn't sure if it was the difficulty in untying the knots, or anger at Gaston's tactics, that caused the Beast to chew furiously at the rope. But his fangs made short work of the rope and Maurice was soon free.

"For once I'm actually glad to have these claws and fangs," he said. "They actually do come in handy at times."

Belle brought Philippe closer and Beast hoisted Maurice into the saddle. Maurice slumped limply forward and his head rested on Philippe's neck. Beast took off his cloak and draped it over Maurice.

"We have to go slow," he said. "He can't stay on under his own power since he's unconscious. We go too fast and he could fall off. I'll go a bit ahead and keep an eye out for wolves."

"Sounds good," Belle said.

They had made it about halfway back to the castle when Maurice came to. He was confused and started to move.

Belle and Beast both turned when they heard a thud.

"Papa!" Belle cried, halting Philippe.

Beast and Belle quickly knelt beside Maurice where he landed in the snow. He was dazed, but awake.

"Are you all right Papa?" Belle asked.

"Belle?" he asked, wondering if he was hallucinating. "Is that really you? Where are we?"

"We're in the woods Papa," she said. "We're getting you back to the castle."

"The castle?" this seemed to bring Maurice back to full alertness. "Belle, no! The Beast is there! How did you escape him?"

"I didn't escape," Belle said. "He set me free Papa. It was my choice to return to the castle. He's here with us. He untied you from the tree."

Maurice then took notice of the figure beside his daughter. He began to shake. Beast decided to speak up at this point.

"Monsieur, I am very sorry for how I behaved before," he said. "It was inexcusable. I understand that now. I know you have no reason to trust me but I'm here to help."

Maurice sat up and stared skeptically at the Beast.

"It's all right Papa," Belle said. "Beast really is a gentle soul. But that gentle soul was just...hidden behind a lot of pain and anger. He had to learn how to stop hiding behind it. But he really has."

Maurice looked from Belle, to the Beast, then back to Belle. And once again back to Beast. The deep blue eyes were captivating, and Maurice noted regret in those eyes.

"I suppose it might be better than the village," he said, though he wasn't sure how much he believed that the castle would be the better alternative.

"Let's get you back onto the horse," Beast said.

Maurice stood, but was a bit unbalanced. Beast steadied him and assisted him in mounting Philippe.

"Do you remember anything Papa?" Belle asked.

"I was out with Gaston and LeFou trying to get them to the castle to rescue you," he said. "Gaston was getting upset since we weren't getting anywhere. Admitted he went along just to get me to grant him your hand in marriage. LeFou tried to calm him down with happy thoughts. Which were of the war of all things. He calmed down until I told him I would never give him my blessing to marry my daughter. That's all I remember until now."

"You remember everything until he knocked you out," Belle said. "What you describe is what we saw."

"You were out here?" Maurice asked, confused.

"I have a mirror that shows you anything you ask of it," Beast explained. "I showed it to her. She was a bit confused about why you were out in the woods so I looked with her. We saw the whole altercation. He left you for the wolves. Figured Belle would then have no choice but to marry him...or face a life of begging on the streets."

Maurice noticed the Beast's tone of utter disgust as he spoke that last sentence. Perhaps this Beast wasn't so bad after all.

"We should get back," Belle said. "Beast would you walk alongside Philippe? Best to prevent him falling off again."

"Sure," Beast said. "But he might be more comfortable if you walked alongside and I led Philippe."

"You'd be better able to catch him," Belle said.

"All right," Beast said. He picked his cape up off the ground and shook the snow out of it, then draped it over Maurice again.

"What I don't remember is that cape," Maurice said in slight confusion. "I don't even remember owning one like that."

"You don't Papa," Belle said. "It's Beast's cape. He put it over you the first time he put you on Philippe while you were unconscious."

Maurice stared in utter surprise at his erstwhile captor. This _looked_ like the same creature who had dragged him up to the tower dungeon, then dragged him back down to throw him out once Belle had traded herself for his freedom. But the behavior was a stark contrast. There was the monster who had been so offended by a rose being plucked from his garden that he'd sentenced Maurice to life in a cold, dark cell. Then there was the gentleman who was now using his own cape to shield Maurice from the cold winter night's air. And the monster and the gentleman were one and the same. What had changed?

"To keep you warm," Beast said by way of explanation, noting the older man's surprised expression.

Of course, Maurice had figured that out. So the look of surprised confusion remained.

"I have a thick fur coat," the Beast said. "Built in insulation."

"Well, thank you Monsieur Beast," Maurice said. "I had figured it was for warmth though. What confuses me is the dichotomy between how you're acting now and how you acted before. What changed?"

"I guess I finally got it through my thick skull that the world doesn't revolve around me," Beast said. "I've your daughter to thank really." His voice became laced with regret, and so quiet as to be a near whisper. "I finally understood that I've done nothing but hurt people pretty much my entire adult life, and that it was wrong. Now I can only try to make right what I can, though I suppose the only way to do that is to undo the past. Unfortunately that's not possible."

The remorse and utter _sadness_ emanating from the Beast was so palpable that Maurice found himself feeling sympathetic toward him. Not exactly something he had expected to feel for Beast, but he was feeling it.

"We ought to head back," Belle said. "I don't mean to interrupt you two, but Papa you've had an ordeal tonight. Cloak or no cloak we should get you out of the elements."

"I agree," Beast said.

"Belle why don't you get on Philippe as well?" Maurice suggested. "I'm conscious now, I can ride normally. No need for you to lead him."

"You're not fully recovered Papa," Belle said. "I can tell you're still a bit dazed. Best I lead him. Why don't you just lay forward and rest? Beast will see that you don't fall off again."

Maurice considered protesting, but realized Belle was right. But he did decide to make sure they were aware of one thing.

"I appreciate that, but I fell off when I awoke and was confused, not quite knowing I was on Philippe, and tried to get up. Guess I should have taken stock of my surroundings before moving around. Now that I know what's going on, you might find your task of keeping me mounted a rather boring one."

"I think I can handle boring in this situation," Beast said with a good natured chuckle. "I'd rather have the boring task of making sure you stay on when I don't need to, than not do so and have you need it, and have a repeat of the excitement that hearing the thud of a rider falling off his horse tends to produce."

They made their way at a slow pace, to help insure Maurice stayed mounted. He did try to remain upright for a bit, but soon took the advice to lean forward. Getting knocked out is rather an ordeal, and he was still rather wiped by the experience, despite having been able to carry on a conversation.


	3. One Less Friend To Call On

**I hadn't meant to post my stockpiled chapters in such rapid succession, but I seem to be on a bit of a roll. I even have chapter five waiting in the wings. Don't know how long I'll be on such a roll, but hey, I'll go with it.**

 **The title of this chapter comes to us from the song _Race Among The Ruins_ by Gordon Lightfoot. Though the lyric I chose is "one less friend to call on", this chapter is when Beast discovers _several_ less friends. **

Once back at the castle, Maurice dismounted Philippe but found himself a bit uncoordinated. He began staggering, and Beast put his paws on Maurice's shoulders, removing them only when the man's footing was sure. Maurice turned and had the unfortunate experience of setting eyes on the rose garden that held a pretty terrifying memory. He began to shudder. In what he hoped was a reassuring gesture, Beast laid a paw on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry," he whispered.

"I'm sorry too," Maurice said. "I do owe you an apology. What I did technically does qualify as theft, though that was never my intent. I was making an annual trip to a market to sell music boxes I'd made. Each year I ask Belle what she'd like me to bring her and each year she asks for a rose. Each year I give her my word that I'll bring one. Just as I did this year. Every year until now I'd kept my word without problem or fail. I was en route when a storm hit, downing a tree right across my usual path, forcing me onto another, leading me here. I saw the roses as I was leaving and remembered my promise to Belle, and I allowed my good judgement to lapse. Your reaction may have been extreme but you did have a right to object. So I do offer an apology for that."

Beast hung his head in shame.

"You were just trying to be a man of your word and I judged you for a common thief," he said quietly. "How many people have I harmed making snap judgements based on one moment in time, one single act?" That, he found, was a very disconcerting question to ponder.

Once Belle had gotten Philippe settled in his stall, the trio went inside. Maurice removed Beast's cape from himself and handed it back to its rightful owner.

Something didn't seem quite right to Beast. Things seemed too...quiet. He had expected some staff to come quickly to greet them, if not waiting for them in the foyer.

"Odd," the Beast said. "Where is everybody?" He took several steps further and called out. "Hello? We're back! Cogsworth? Lumiere? Mrs. Potts? Anybody?"

You could hear a pin drop in the ensuing silence.

"Perhaps they're still preparing a room?" Belle suggested.

"After this much time?" the Beast asked. "And all of them? Surely someone would be here."

"Oh look," Belle said, walking into the parlor. "I've found Lumiere and Cogsworth. Hello. Um, Lumiere, why aren't you lit?"

Neither the clock nor candelabra said anything, or made any movement in acknowledgement that they had been spoken to.

"Oh no," Beast said, a mix of realization and panic forming on his face. "Oh, please, no..."

"What is it Beast?" Belle asked.

But Beast didn't respond. Instead he ran out of the parlor. Belle looked where he was going and watched him ascend the main staircase, then he turned to go up the western staircase. Belle turned to her father, realization dawning on her face now too.

"What's going on Belle?" Maurice asked.

"I don't know absolutely," Belle said. "But...but I think...it's happened."

"What?" Maurice asked.

"Do you remember up in the tower when I questioned a life sentence for a rose?" Belle asked. "And Beast said he'd been cursed for eternity for one?"

Maurice nodded.

"It actually wasn't quite eternal then," Belle said. "But I have a sinking feeling it is now."

As if in confirmation, an agonized roar reverberated through the castle.

"I think he went to check the rose," Belle said. "And has likely discovered the last petal has fallen."

"What rose?" Maurice asked.

"The one tied to the curse," Belle said. "I'm going to go check on him."

"Belle, no!" Maurice exclaimed. "Did you not just hear that roar?"

"I did," she said. "That wasn't an angry roar or a malicious one. I've heard plenty of those before he grew kinder. This was different. It sounds like a roar of pure anguish. Despair. Please have a seat here in the parlor. I'll come back to you once I'm sure Beast is all right."

Belle made her way up to the west wing. She lightly knocked, then opened the door and crept in, closing it behind her. She found the Beast near the table where the rose resided. He was on his knees, sitting with his lower legs folded under him, slumped forward so far his face was nearly on his lap. And he was sobbing.

"Beast?" Belle said gently as she walked over to him. She knelt at his left side, placing one arm around him so her hand rested on his opposite shoulder, and placed her other hand on his left arm. "It's happened Beast...hasn't it?"

He nodded.

"I'm so sorry," Belle whispered. "I'm glad we came back though. Had I just taken Papa back to the village, you'd now be completely alone."

"I'm meant to be completely alone," he whispered. "We should find a place safe for you two to go and I'll be alone as I'm supposed to be once the curse became permanent. That's why it took the staff when it took full effect I'm sure."

"I won't leave you to just rot in the castle alone," Belle said. A realization hit her at this point. "I can't. I love you Beast."

The Beast had been regaining his composure, but it was lost once more at Belle's words. It should have been a relief knowing he had earned her love after all. And on some level it was. But her love had come too late to lift the curse, and that just added to his anguish. He gestured to a piece of paper lying in front of him.

"From the staff," he whispered. "Part of me wishes they'd told me how much they despised me for their fate but they didn't."

As he again worked on gaining his composure, Belle read the note aided by moonlight shining and lending some light to the balcony.

 _To our dear Master,_

 _The final petal will soon fall and we realize we may be gone by the time you return. Please know we hold no ill feelings towards you for our fate, and we hope you don't hold our fate against yourself either. We always knew since you were a boy that you had a kind soul. We were sorry to see it so deeply buried within after your mother's passing, but we are all glad that that gentle spirit we all knew and loved has been able to reemerge. We are all proud of you for that and we all wish we didn't have to leave you. Please use the objects that we will be, but when not in use please keep those of us with attachments together. We have prepared the room across the hall from Belle for her father. Goodbye and all the best to the three of you._

 _Sincerely,_

 _Your staff of loving servants_

"They really cared about you a lot," Belle said softly.

"Yes they did," the Beast said. "And for so long I treated them so terribly. I only appreciated them recently. And I never apologized for my behavior. And really words like servants or staff don't describe what I now realize they were to me. Friends...closer but not quite right. They really were my family."

"Why would you have preferred they'd said they despised you?"

"It would be more deserved."

"A kind soul, a gentle spirit, does not deserve to be despised," Belle said softly.

After a few moments, when Beast felt he was fully composed, he sat up straight.

"My father is in the parlor," Belle said. "Since I didn't know where his room was yet. Do you want to go ahead and tell him tonight what happened or wait for tomorrow? I imagine you're pretty tired. He should know at some point and it may help to hear from you."

"I am tired," the Beast said. "But I suppose he should be told. You don't even know a lot and I imagine you have questions."

"I do," she said. "But how about we all get some sleep first? It's been a long evening."

"Sounds good," Beast said.

"I'll get Papa to his room and get out of this ballgown," Belle said. "Then I'll come back and check on you, all right?"

"You needn't do that," Beast said. "Just go to bed yourself. No need to trouble yourself to come back here."

"It's no trouble," Belle whispered.

In fact, she realized as she got into her nightgown after seeing her father to his room, she'd be more troubled by not checking on the grieving Beast. She wanted to see that he was able to sleep peacefully, and wanted to offer comfort if he didn't seem peaceful.

Which he didn't. When she got back to his room, he was lying on his right side, back to her, and shaking. She knelt by his bedside and placed a hand on his shoulder. He rolled slightly so he could more easily turn his head to face her.

"You didn't have to come back here," he said quietly.

"I know," Belle whispered. "But I know you're hurting and I wanted to be here for you...in case you need some comfort as you fall asleep."

"You need sleep too."

"I'll go once you're asleep," Belle said. She stroked the fur of his mane. "Unless you really want me to go now. But you shouldn't have to suffer alone."

"I don't know that I shall sleep tonight," Beast said. "You'd best just go to bed. For your sake I wish you would."

"What about for your sake?"

At this, the Beast reached a paw towards Belle, which she took in her hand. She could see in his eyes and feel in the way he grasped her hand that he wanted her to stay.

"If it were for my own sake I was concerned I would wish you to stay," he said. "But it was selfishness that caused this despair. I'll not let selfishness hold you here."

"I'll stay."

"Are you sure? Like I say I'm not sure I'll sleep. If you intend to stay until I fall asleep...that may not happen."

"Then I shall stay all night," Belle said. "Perhaps I'll move to the chair and fall asleep."

"That won't be comfortable," Beast said. "The bed's big enough. You can get in on the other side."

"Aren't you concerned that that would be rather improper?" Belle asked.

"I'm more concerned that you don't subject yourself to discomfort on my account than I am about propriety," Beast responded. "Just don't get too close. I don't want to inadvertently gore you with a horn or something."

"Of course," Belle said. "That would certainly be best avoided." She moved to the other side of the bed and lay down. She took his paw once more in her hands. "I love you."

"I love you Belle," Beast whispered.

But he seemed almost haunted by her statement that she loved him. In fact a single tear escaped his tightly squeezed eyelids, which she was quick to wipe. She let her hand linger on his cheek for a moment, a finger gently stroking the soft fur there. She then patted his shoulder, then let her hand trail down his arm back to his paw which her other hand still held. She stroked the back of his paw with her thumb a few times.

"Try to get some sleep," she said, removing one hand from his paw to run her fingers through his mane. "I know you're not sure you can but you do need it."

He did manage to drift off as she continued to stroke his mane. She then allowed sleep to claim her as well. Though he had fallen asleep, she still found herself unwilling to leave him tonight.

She could not stand the thought of him awakening to his grief alone. He had, after all, spent years alone in his misery. He at least had his staff around then, but she suspected they gave him as much of a wide berth as possible, considering his not so slight lack of anger management skills. Now the servants were, for all intents and purposes, dead, after he'd grown to care about them as family. No, she decided, he'd served enough time being alone in his despair. She knew the pain and grief would never leave him, not completely, but as far as she was concerned he more than deserved for someone to be at his side and bear the pain right along with him.

Should he ever wish to have time alone, she would respect his need for space. But if he only tried to get her to leave for her comfort or because he thought he was 'supposed' to suffer alone, she would stay with him.


	4. What A Tale

**The title of this chapter, keeping with my naming theme, can be found within the lyrics of _If You Could Read My Mind_ by Gordon Lightfoot. **

Beast awoke early the next morning to discover Belle still holding his paw, though she lay at arm's length to preserve some semblance of proper decorum. Not to mention steer clear of the horns he'd mentioned concern about last night. He dared not move, not wanting to wake her. But she stirred within a couple of minutes and her eyes blinked open.

"Good morning," she said. "How did you sleep?"

"All right," Beast replied. "Better than I thought. You?"

"Fine," she said. "I dropped off to sleep once you did."

"Thank you..." he said, a bit awkwardly but sincerely, "...for staying."

"I didn't want to leave you in your grief if I could provide at least some comfort."

"I suppose your father will be wanting an explanation."

"I'm sure," Belle said. "Why don't we go downstairs and I'll see if he's awake and we'll have breakfast and then maybe talk after that. Or before if you prefer."

"Why don't you bring him in here?" Beast asked. "I don't think I'm quite ready to go down yet and see...what's left of the staff."

"All right," Belle said. "I'll get dressed and see if he's awake and when he is we'll be in. Sound all right?"

Beast nodded.

About twenty minutes later, Belle led her father into the Beast's bedroom and gestured for him to sit in a chair near the bed. Beast sat on the edge of his bed, head bowed looking at the paws that rested on his lap. Belle knew the story he was about to tell would be painful for him. She sat next to him and took one of his paws on her hands.

"Whenever you're ready," she said softly.

Beast looked up at her, then at Maurice, then back at her. He opened his mouth and took a breath to speak, but he did not know where to begin. He looked back down at his lap and let his breath out in a shuddering sigh.

Belle squeezed his paw.

"I know this is difficult for you," she said gently. "Would it be helpful to you if I told what I know? It's limited I'm sure, but if that would help you I'll tell Papa what I know and you can go from there."

"Sure," Beast whispered.

"All right," Belle said. She looked at her father. "I actually learned some things fairly early on. I'll tell you how it came about that I learned what I did. The staff got me out of the cell nearly immediately and put me in a room. Later that night I did a little exploring and came in here. I got...a little too close to that rose over there for Beast's comfort and, long story short, I fled the castle and into a pack of wolves. Beast got there in time to fend them off and was pretty badly hurt in the process. I helped him onto Philippe and got him back here to tend to his wounds." She paused. "That's when I learned a bit about the curse. I knew there was some sort of curse. The staff obviously cared about him very much, more than just the professional obligation of being his servants. I asked them why. After all it seemed apparent he'd brought this curse down upon them, but they did nothing to deserve it. That's when Mrs. Potts, the kindly teapot, explained that 'doing nothing' was the problem. Apparently when he was young he was, as Mrs. Potts put it, a 'sweet, innocent lad', but then his mother passed and his cruel father, as she said, 'twisted him up to be just like he was', and they did nothing to intervene on his behalf." She paused again, noticing that her father was listening intently. "Later I recalled that when Beast caught me near the rose he said I could have...to put it slightly less coarsely than he did, condemned everybody. Obviously the rose was tied into the curse. So I asked what happens when the last petal falls, as several already had. The staff, who, remember, were household objects, explained that their master would remain a Beast forever and they would become ordinary, everyday, inanimate objects. For all intents and purposes a death sentence. I wanted to help, I asked if there was a way the curse could be broken. They told me it could, but I wasn't to worry about it. I think that's about all I know. I know once an adult, in human form, Beast angered an enchantress with his cruelty, but not much of how that came about."

"I wish they didn't blame themselves," Beast said sadly. "They really couldn't have done much. I might have blamed them before but I know better now. They couldn't have defied my father and expected to remain in his employ." He sighed. "No. I am certain, the more I think about it, that their fate is what it is so that my failure to reverse the curse would be a worse punishment for me than simply remaining a Beast for all time. It's one thing to be a Beast with the company of a bunch of sentient houseware. Quite another to be a Beast completely alone. I believe failure to lift the curse was supposed to result in me being completely isolated forever. That is why, Belle, I told you last night that we should find you two someplace safe to live, where you'd be free from the grief the villagers were giving you."

"Beast," Belle said. "This castle is where I've felt the safest I've ever felt."

"But I'm here," Beast whispered. "If you're here then I'm not alone."

"And as I told you last night you shouldn't have to be," Belle said.

"If I may," Maurice inserted himself here, "how might the curse have been lifted? Belle said she asked but was told not to worry about it."

"Yes, I'm very interested," Belle said. "Beast, how could the spell have been broken?"

"Well it's important to know exactly how the curse came about," Beast said. He took a deep breath. "I was a Prince. Not the direct heir to the King's throne but the ruler of this part of France after my father's death. Villeneuve was within my jurisdiction, but neither of you would have independent memory of that. When the enchantress placed the curse, she cleared me, anyone living with me, and the castle from all local memory. I know some of the staff had family and friends within the village. They would have remembered their loved ones until the end, but to said loved ones it's like they never existed. Like the castle never existed. Like I never existed. The latter of which was really for the best, considering the kind of ruler I was."

"Which was?" Maurice asked.

"One who was very vain, selfish, and cruel," Beast said. "Treating people fairly was not a concept for me. And I imposed what I now realize were outrageous taxes so I could make sure my castle was a thing of beauty. I hosted balls and invited only those I deemed beautiful enough to grace my presence. So when an old hag barged in, right in the middle of one such ball, I did not respond at all favorably."

Beast paused, shame filling his eyes. Belle gave his paw an encouraging squeeze. He squeezed back.

"I didn't know it, but within minutes, life as I knew it would be over. I'm actually not sure what the worst part was. Up until recently I'd have told you the curse was the worst part. But now that I've learned to care about others, the knowledge that had she truly been an old beggar seeking shelter from a storm, my refusal to grant her shelter could have been fatal for her, fills me with absolute horror that I was ever capable of acting like that. She offered a rose in return for lodging, but she was so ugly in appearance I laughed at her and turned her away. She warned me not to judge by appearances, but to look within, but I would have none of it and again ordered her out. That's when she revealed herself as an enchantress. Quite a beautiful one I might add. The guests all fled, but all of my servants stayed. Part of me is thankful they did not abandon me to my fate. But part of me wishes for their sake that they had fled. The enchantress said she could see that I had no love in my heart. So she cursed me to be a beast like I was inside. My staff became household objects. The grounds and surrounding forest fell under a permanent winter. The rose became an...hourglass of sorts. It was in full bloom for years, then started wilting. The castle would crumble a little at a time with each petal that fell and the staff would get closer and closer to being inanimate, so that once the last petal fell the castle would be livable but rather dilapidated, and my staff would be gone. Just...ordinary things."

"I suppose the rose is why you were so upset about my taking one from the grounds," Maurice said. "Which you had every right to be, even if a life sentence was a little extreme. I was not using my better judgement that evening. I imagine the fact it was a rose triggered unpleasant memories."

"True," Beast said. "Though even before the curse I wouldn't have taken kindly to it. A life sentence? Perhaps not. But certainly I'd have still been harsher than I should have. When you showed up, I'd long since given up any hope. I'd allowed myself to become feral to an extent." Beast glanced over at his 'nest' on the floor. "After Belle brought me back from the wolf fight, I found myself in this bed for the first time in...a few years."

"How long has the curse been in effect?" Maurice asked.

"I can't say for sure," Beast said. "Days bleed into years around here. It's always winter, so seasons don't mark the passage of time. Everybody seems to have been frozen in age...those who became objects certainly, but I'm not even sure I've aged. And the castle is so isolated we're basically shielded from the rest of the world, so no clues come in from the outside world. My guess is the curse has been in effect for...probably somewhere around a decade."

Belle and Maurice were filled with sympathy. How awful it must be to never really be sure how much time has passed.

"So," Belle said, "there's still the question of how the curse could have been lifted."

Beast sighed. He had somewhat hoped that question might be forgotten, but somehow he figured, rightly apparently, that it wouldn't be. He really didn't want Belle feeling guilty for not confessing her love in time.

"When the curse was breakable, we couldn't tell you how," Beast said. "Now that it's permanent...I'm reluctant to do so."

"Why couldn't you before?" Belle asked. "Why are you reluctant now?"

"Before, we couldn't tell anyone from the outside lest they try to help out of a sense of obligation," Beast explained.

"So the curse had to be lifted by someone from the outside?" Belle asked.

Beast sighed. How could he prevent Belle from going on a guilt trip?

"Were you all hoping that I might be the key to freeing you from the curse?" Belle pressed gently.

Beast just looked down.

"Beast? I need to know if you were pinning your hopes on me somehow, and if so how. It's all right. Please tell me. I won't judge you for it."

"We were," Beast said, barely above a whisper. He sighed again. "The enchantress gave me a task that must be fulfilled in two parts. Because my unloving nature brought about the curse, it was love that was to be its cure. I first had to learn to love another. This did happen in time and I was going to tell you last night, but then we learned through the mirror that your father needed help. The second part was I had to earn that person's love in return. I really didn't expect that to happen...for someone to love a creature such as myself. Last night though you did tell me you loved me, but the last petal had fallen."

"Oh Beast!" Belle tightened her grasp on Beast's paw with both hands. "Beast I'm so, so sorry! Had I known-"

"Exactly Belle," Beast cut her off gently. "That's precisely why you _couldn't_ know. Had you known you'd have felt an obligation to force yourself to love me. That would have been pity, not love. And I now realize that even if you _could_ have forced the love needed to break the spell, it would have been wrong for us to put you in that position. I had to learn to love of my own accord. And you needed to love me in return of your own accord."

"But I did love you of my own accord," Belle said. "I realized it last night. I realized I loved you when you suggested that perhaps my father and I should leave you completely alone. I realized my love for you would not allow me to abandon you. I wish I'd realized it before. Like maybe earlier before we looked in the mirror. You...were trying to tell me you loved me then weren't you? Had you gotten the chance maybe I'd have realized my feelings then."

"Belle, stop," Beast said. "Just because we'd hoped you could lift the curse does not at all mean that the responsibility or blame for not doing so defaults to you. The only one at fault for any of this is me. I certainly found reason to blame everybody but myself in the past but I understand now. I don't like it that the staff felt at fault. You're the _last_ person to bear any blame for this Belle." He sighed. "This is why I was reluctant to tell you. I didn't want you blaming yourself." He paused. "Besides, even if I'd told you I loved you before showing you the mirror, you probably couldn't have fully loved me. Like when I asked if you could be happy here you pointed out the difficulty in being happy when not free. Could you honestly say you could love the one keeping you from freedom and thus making you unhappy? You actually...well I haven't considered you a prisoner here for some time. When I apologized for calling your father a thief I was basically apologizing for the very reason either of you were ever my prisoners. But the sentiment that you weren't my prisoner was unspoken. I couldn't quite bring myself to tell you...by that time I was afraid I'd lose you. So you weren't a prisoner in the sense that you were originally. But you became, I suppose, a prisoner of fear. I'm quite ashamed that it took seeing your father in trouble for me to finally see I had to let you go. I was foolish to ever hope you might love me while in my captivity."

"I suppose you're right about my actually being able to love you after I was free," Belle said. "I still wish the timing hadn't condemned you though. That's why it seemed painful for you when I did tell you I loved you wasn't it? Because you knew it came too late."

Beast nodded.

"I do appreciate that you love me Belle," he said. "Don't get me wrong about that. And I honestly don't know how you managed to pull it off. Loving someone who looks like this."

"It wasn't how you look that was the biggest obstacle," Belle said. "I could get beyond that easily enough. Harder to get beyond was the barrier you'd erected, the building blocks of which were rage, self-loathing, and fear, among probably a few other things you hid yourself behind. Once I actually got to know the kind and gentle soul within it really wasn't that difficult."

Beast blinked a few tears back and swallowed the lump forming on his throat at this. Once he was sure he could keep his composure he spoke.

"You brought out the person that my mother was raising me to be. The one that I thought was long dead once she was gone and my father raised me. I'd become so horrible I forgot the person I was under my mother's care even existed. You brought that person out of me Belle. You brought him seemingly back from the dead. I can't begin to tell you how grateful I am to you for that."

Maurice had been silent for several minutes. He listened to the conversation. He thought it was horrible that the good person he now understood the Beast to be had been led so far astray by the cruelty of his own father. Maurice wanted to do something.

"Um," he said, "I gather, Beast, that you went so far astray because your father failed to be what a father should be. I can't undo that obviously, but I'd like to be what you might call a father figure for you if you'd allow it. Not that you need any raising or anything, but if you need support or advice I'm here, and I want to offer you my forgiveness for how things started between us. Belle and I don't make up a large family, but I hope you'll allow yourself to be considered a part of it."

Beast stared at Maurice, jaw hanging. He wasn't sure he could believe his ears. Had the man for whom he'd caused such grief just invited him, the monster, into his and Belle's family? He finally decided he must have heard correctly, and found his voice.

"I'm the last one to even remotely deserve to have you consider me a part of your family, monsieur."

"Maurice, please," Maurice said. "I am Maurice. And anyone who my daughter deems deserving of her love I deem deserving of mine. My daughter does not give her heart to anyone she finds unworthy of it."

Beast was silent, somewhat stunned. Slowly though, a soft smile of appreciation formed on his face.

"You two could use a moment to bond," Belle said. "Why don't I go down and figure out something in the way of breakfast? Do you want to join me in a bit?"

Beast's smile faded into a look of anxiety and reluctance. Belle seemed to understand.

"Why don't I bring breakfast up here?" she suggested. "You'll have to venture out of here at some point, but you're not ready I can see."

Beast nodded.

"I'll get everybody gathered in one spot if you like," Belle said. "If that would help."

"No," Beast said. "Leave everybody as they are, unless they're in the way. Then just move them aside as needed. But I know I'll need to see them as they were when the last petal fell as much as possible. I got them into this fate I owe it to them to bear witness to it. I just..."

"You need some time first," Belle said softly after his voice had trailed off. "I'll get us something to eat and be back in a bit."

Maurice and Beast watched Belle exit, then Beast's gaze fell to the paws on his lap.

Maurice could tell that Beast's pain ran deep. He tried to find words to try to offer comfort, but words failed him. So he stood, walked over to Beast, and did what he would to Belle if it were her suffering as Beast was.

He hugged him.

Beast stiffened initially, having never had a father figure offer such a warm gesture. But Maurice stuck with it and Beast soon relaxed and returned the embrace.


	5. Picking Up The Pieces

**In keeping with the chapter naming challenge I've given myself, the title of this chapter is from the song** ** _Carefree Highway_** **by Gordon Lightfoot. The very first words in fact.**

 **Glad everyone seems to enjoy this so far. This is the last of the completed chapters, so things may slow down a bit, but my plot bunnies do find this story to be pretty fertile breeding ground. Chapter six is in the works.**

After breakfast, it was finally time to go and find the staff. Or at least, what was left of them.

"Are you ready?" Belle asked gently.

"No," Beast said honestly. "But I think I'm as close to it as I can ever be. They are basically dead because of me. And I didn't really care about what the curse meant for them until recently. I was so unkind to them for so long. I never told them how much I've come to care about and appreciate them. Never even got to apologize..."

"What do you wish me to do?" Maurice asked. "Do you want me to join you two and...offer whatever assistance... I can, or shall I head to my room and stay out of your way?"

"Either is fine," Beast said. "If you'd like to meet them you may come along. But I don't expect I'll be very...talkative. Honestly I'm not sure how I'm going to react."

Wanting to offer the paternal support he'd previously promised, Maurice decided to join Belle and Beast, but to try not to be intrusive.

In the parlor, Lumiere and Cogsworth were there where Belle found them. Plumette was nearby. Mrs. Potts and Chip sat faceless on the tea cart near a chair.

"Judging which way Plumette is facing she must have been trying to reach Lumiere in her final moments," Belle observed.

Beast bent down and picked up the featherduster.

 _Have you seen Lumiere Master?_ Beast heard a voice within his mind, sounding something like Plumette. He dropped the poor featherduster, fell to his knees, and began to shudder.

"Beast?" Belle asked, worried.

"Belle," Beast said, clearly shaken by something. "Am I losing my mind? Pick up Plumette and tell me if something...strange happens?"

Belle picked up Plumette, who looked for all the world like just an ordinary, lifeless featherduster.

 _I didn't mean to scare the master, mademoiselle_ , a voice sounding like Plumette said in Belle's mind.

"Hmm," Belle said. "Before I say what just happened I want to make sure it's not just us. Papa, you've not met Plumette before right?"

"That's right," Maurice said. "Just the talking teacup."

"All right," Belle said. "This featherduster is Plumette. Take her and tell me if anything happens."

Maurice accepted the proffered duster.

 _I hope I did a satisfactory job cleaning your room, monsieur_ , Maurice heard in his head. He handed the featherduster back to Belle who set it back down.

"Female voice in my head," Maurice said. "It's like I heard it but not with my ears. It was in my mind. She hoped she had cleaned my room satisfactorily."

"All right," Belle said. "What did you get Beast?"

"Her voice in my mind," Beast said. "Asking if I'd seen Lumiere."

"I got her voice in my mind saying she hadn't meant to scare you," Belle said.

"I had been under the impression that once they became inanimate they would essentially die," Beast said. "I think we all were. It...seems perhaps not, if Plumette is any indication."

"Yes," Belle said. "It appears as if she has some awareness of who is touching her and is able to communicate telepathically with them. I hope you don't mind that I had Papa try. It's just that we know her personality and voice and things she might say, and wanted to see if someone not close to her experienced the same thing."

"That was a good idea," Beast said. "Make sure it wasn't our own minds playing tricks on us."

Beast took a deep breath and picked up Plumette once more. He took Lumiere in his opposite paw and set them on a table. He leaned Plumette up against one of Lumiere's 'arms'.

"Lumiere wishes I weren't go glum," Beast said. "True to his nature. I'm afraid that can't be helped though. Hard not to be when I know I'm responsible for the state they're in."

Next he picked up Cogsworth and set him next to Lumiere.

"Cogsworth is bored, and lamenting that he's not dead as he expected they all would be," he said. He made sure Lumiere and Cogsworth were touching. "If physical contact is required for communication, now they can at least still enjoy their constant banter."

He then moved to the tea cart, gently nudging mother and son into contact. His face upon turning from them was that of anguish.

"They didn't even know they were right next to each other," he said. "They both were in a panicked state calling out for the other. Hopefully they are communicating now."

They went through the rest of the castle, making sure each servant was in a dignified position. Belle and Maurice both offered to help in the moving of the once animate objects, but Beast wished to take on that task.

"Is the upside down piano stool anybody?" Maurice asked, pointing to what he saw just outside the ballroom.

"Upside down?" Beast asked uneasily, looking where Maurice was pointing. "Froufrou. The dog belonging to Madame de Garderobe and Maestro Cadenza. Probably trying to get to the maestro."

Beast picked up the stool and carried him to the harpsichord in the ballroom, making sure they were touching as he placed Froufrou on his legs.

"He was so anxious," Beast told the others. "Poor little pup couldn't understand why he can't move."

When they were finished, they converged back in the parlor. Beast flopped down into a chair with a heavy, depressed, exhausted sigh.

"Are you all right Beast?" Belle asked, taking the chair beside him and taking his paw.

"Do you want the honest answer?" Beast asked. "No, I'm really not. I experienced the thoughts and emotions of every single inanimate object that was once on my staff. Just by touching them. When the enchantress said they would become inanimate if the curse became permanent, we all assumed they would die. Once it became permanent I felt horrible that their death sentence had been finalized, that I failed to spare them." He took a deep breath and let it out in a long sigh. "Now knowing they are actually alive but trapped in inanimate objects...they can do nothing and appear just as 'dead' as any other inanimate object, just as lifeless, yet capable of thought and emotion...I feel even worse for them. Death would have been a mercy with this as the alternative."

"I wish I'd given you some warning," Belle said. "As I prepared breakfast I thought I was hearing the kitchen staff as I touched them. But I just ignored it, sure my mind was playing tricks on me. I should have mentioned it."

"No," Beast said. "You reached a logical conclusion. I'm afraid things around here have a tendency to defy logic."

Having maintained his composure as long as he could, Beast finally broke down into tears.


	6. I Believe In Magic

**This chapter title brought to you by Gordon Lightfoot's song called** ** _Hangdog Hotel Room_** **.**

 **As I've said before, this story is largely inspired by ladivina's "A Place Called Home". This chapter actually borrows some of her elements when it comes to explaining the magic involved.**

"Just let it go Beast," Belle said, seeing he was trying, rather in vain, to get his composure, despite the emotions that were completely overwhelming him. "Don't fight yourself. You're grieving. Just allow it to happen."

Belle had one arm around Beast's shoulders as the other cradled his head against her own shoulder. Beast finally stopped fighting, and allowed himself the catharsis he desperately needed. Though he felt rather undignified, being a grown male and a former Prince to boot, bawling his eyes out, it did feel, in some strange way, good to let everything that he'd been holding inside him, out of his system. And he appreciated being supported in the arms of the one who taught him to love, and who offered him her love in return.

For her part, Belle found herself shedding some tears as well. Though she was mostly composed, she also grieved for her friends who seemed conscious of their inanimate state. She thought it should perhaps be a comfort that they were still alive. That they hadn't actually died. That they could even form a telepathic connection to those in physical contact with them. But the fact that they were still alive inside their inanimate forms seemed like a fate worse than death. Belle only shed a few tears, so she remained able to support her dear Beast. He not only was grieving for what happened, but he had the guilt of knowing it never would have had he not been the cruel man he once was.

After about fifteen minutes, Beast was finally in a more calm state, and had regained his composure.

"I'm sorry about that," be said, looking apologetically at Belle, then Maurice. "I was a mess."

"Don't worry about it," Belle said softly.

"I'd say it would be nearly impossible for you not to be a mess given what you're dealing with," Maurice said. "Seems unfair that this had to happen to the others."

Footsteps were suddenly heard, and the three turned to see someone appear in the parlor doorway. Beast stiffened. Belle and Maurice were surprised. All seemed to recognize the newcomer.

"Agathe?" Maurice asked.

"Are you all right Agathe?" Belle asked. "How did you end up here?"

Belle began to stand, but Beast put a protective paw on her arm. Obviously Belle and Maurice knew her in some capacity, even knowing her name, but not as he knew her. And what he knew about her made him fear for their safety.

"Careful Belle," he said with a low growl. "Enchantresses get around." He looked at Agathe. "I don't really care what you might see fit to do to me at this point, though I would prefer it if you left me without causing further anguish. But whatever you do I must insist you do it without harming Belle or Maurice."

"You're the enchantress?" Belle asked incredulously.

"I am," Agathe said. "And do not be alarmed, Beast. I'm not here to do anything against Belle or her father. I'm quite fond of them actually. It is Belle I had chosen to help you break the curse, and you came so close." There was a hint of regret in her voice. "Nor am I here to increase your grief."

"You sent her to me?" Beast asked, stunned. "You...actually wanted me to break the curse?"

"I did, yes," Agathe said. "I wanted to teach you the lesson needed for you to be a better person. You've learned it and have become a better person. I wish circumstances hadn't prevented you meeting the requirements in time."

"Why don't you...have a seat..." Beast invited uneasily. He figured he'd better show some hospitality to her, not wanting to again provoke her ire. He didn't exactly feel like being particularly hospitable to this particular person, but it seemed the wisest choice. Besides, he hoped she might answer some questions. Like why his servants had such a worse fate.

"Thank you," Agathe said, sitting in a chair. "That's a better reception from you than the last time I came calling. Though I see you're less than comfortable with my presence. Which I cannot blame you for."

"Agathe," Belle said. "Do you mind if I ask a question?"

"I don't mind a bit," Agathe said.

"I'm a little confused," Belle said. "You seemed kind, and I counted you one of the few I could call a friend in the village. But...this curse. I understand you wanted to help Beast become a better person...but was it necessary to take any meaningful life from the staff? And thinking they were dead was bad enough...but it seems they are alive and can form a telepathic connection to those touching them. They're alive yet imprisoned in the form of completely inanimate objects. Why? Wouldn't death have been kinder?"

"What happened with the staff is my biggest regret with this curse," Agathe said. "With each petal that fell they were becoming less human. As well, the castle became less structurally sound. Just as the castle did not completely crumble to the ground when the curse became permanent, the staff did not completely lose their lives, even if they're now just ordinary houseware. Had I to do it over again, I think I'd have just made the castle dark and gloomy and the servants objects that could move around, but not cause progressive deterioration, so they'd never become frozen in place as they are now. My reasoning was if Beast saw his home crumbling around him, and could see his staff fading, to eventually leave him alone in a dilapidated home if he should fail to break the curse, that might be incentive for him to work at being a better person. But I hadn't considered the potential harm, which I fear outweighs the good I hoped would come."

"Why curse them in the first place?" Beast asked. "You say if you could do it over you'd have put a milder curse on them, but surely they didn't deserve to be cursed at all? They blamed themselves for not standing up to my cruel father, thus allowing me to turn out like him, but surely they can't be blamed for not defying their employer?"

"A curse must effect all present at the time I'm afraid," Agathe said. "Were I only to curse the main offender, in this case you, the magic spreading across the land would be very disorienting to any person or animal not enchanted. Such disorientation could cause harm, potentially. Not necessarily, but the potential is there. Suppose young Chip was disoriented and panicked and ended up running right into the fireplace. Enchanting everybody on the premesis was necessary to prevent this disorientation."

"But why were my father and I and our horse Philippe not disoriented in this way?" Belle asked. "I mean, speaking for myself, it was rather startling at first, but I always had my wits about me, not confused to the point of running into harm."

"Ah," Agathe said. "The magic had long settled and ceased posing the threat I described. It's really just those present at the time a curse is enacted that must also be cursed for their own protection."

"So we know why you did what you did," Maurice said, breaking his silence, "and what you wish you'd done instead. But what about moving forward? Is there any way the curse could still be lifted?"

"That I am afraid is...difficult," Agathe said. "Magic is quite...fickle. Reversing a curse outside of its set conditions is problematic. I'd like to, but I am not familiar with a case where a curse has been lifted outside its conditions without the magic being allowed to drain."

"Drain?" Beast asked. "But part of the curse stipulated that failure to break it in time would result in it lasting 'for all time'. Doesn't that mean it would never drain?"

"Well, truly permanent magic is difficult," Agathe answered. "Depending on one's skills, how powerful a command one has on magic, magic drains after varying lengths of time. The magic I put here would drain out after about a hundred years. To enforce the curse for eternity, I would have to come back and renew the magic. Eventually I'll be advanced enough that it will last longer and I'd have to do less frequent 'refills'. But it takes a very long time for my kind to be able to cast truly eternal magic that doesn't need to be refilled. I'm hoping to figure out a way to reverse this sooner, but as of right now the only thing I can do is allow it to drain out in its own time."

"When might we know if you can come up with something sooner?" Beast asked, trying to keep the anxiety out of his voice.

"I will go and give it some thought and see if I can come up with anything," Agathe said. "How about I return tomorrow after breakfast and we'll regroup?"

"Sounds...like a plan," Beast said. "I don't even care if I stay a Beast. I...actually think I might almost prefer it. For so long I hated myself for the creature I am. Now it's the least of my worries. It's just the others...I want to see them freed from this fate even if I never am."

"I'll be back tomorrow and let you know if I've come up with anything," Agathe said. "And I'm intrigued by your comment that you'd almost prefer remaining a Beast. Perhaps you can elaborate on that tomorrow."

And just like that, Agathe was gone.


	7. Consider The Burden Of Things

**All right, here we go!**

 **Ladivina, next chapter we'll see Gaston.**

 **Banzi, thanks.**

 **Mustard Lady, I think you'll like Maurice's supportiveness in this chapter too.**

 **This was...an interesting chapter to write. Meaning it got long and kind of complicated. I hope it doesn't make anyone feel bogged down, and I do realize there are a few bits of fairly long dialogue. Basically a lot of deliberation happens in this chapter. Next chapter though, we will actually start seeing some action.**

 **In keeping with my chapter naming theme, the Gordon Lightfoot song that gives us this chapter's title is actually the same song that gave us our story title. Called _The House You Live In_. I was actually going to use lyrics from a different song but the more I got into this chapter, the more appropriate the lyrics I'm actually using seemed. **

As promised, Agathe returned the next morning. In fact she was waiting in the parlor when the three went there after breakfast.

"Hello, friends," she said. "I've returned as we agreed upon. But before we get to the curse situation I do need to advise you of a problem that's come up."

"Problem?" Belle asked, voice laced with concern.

"Yes," Agathe said. "Trouble on the way."

"On the way _here_?" Beast asked. "What is it?"

"Gaston," Agathe said disdainfully. "Seems LeFou snuck off last night, unable to sleep knowing they'd left Maurice tied to a tree. Gaston of course slept like a log. LeFou went to see if he could rescue Maurice. Of course he just found the chewed rope and tracks left by Beast's hind paws and Philippe's hooves and Belle's feet. He told Gaston this morning just before I came here. Gaston is on his way now to the tree and intends to see where the trail leads. Which of course is here."

"He's a hunter," Belle said. "He will surely harm or even kill Beast!"

"He may find that hard if I have anything to say about it," Agathe said. "I put a small spell on his bullets and arrows. It will only last twenty-four hours, but basically what happens is any bullet or arrow fired while enchanted will just fall harmlessly to the ground and then disappear. Of course since I enchanted his ammunition which is on his person but did not enchant him, he will have disorientation like I talked about yesterday. But it's a fairly weak magic compared to that of a curse, so the level of disorientation will be mild and harmless. Also my wolves will be giving him some grief, though they won't cause him serious harm. Basically Gaston is not going to have a very fun time getting here."

"Couldn't you prevent him getting here?" Beast asked, a slight edge to his voice.

"I could," Agathe said. "And I will, if you three don't approve of what I have in mind. But this brings us to the issue of the curse. My mind has been rather full of thoughts and ideas, and the issue Gaston presents has given me an idea that just might be plausible. I have to caution that it is highly experimental, however. To my knowledge I would be the first to attempt it. I cannot guarantee it would work, but it's the best I've come up with so far."

"What is it?" Beast asked, not sure if he really wanted to hear the answer.

"I can test him just as I did you," Agathe said. "If he manages to pass it won't work but I can't go around cursing people without giving them every chance to prove themselves undeserving of a curse. Knowing Gaston, however, I'm sure he will fail. I've been wanting to curse him for some time, but at my level I can only have one major 'case' open at once. What I'm thinking is pushing that, but the way I'm thinking it would become, technically, one case."

"Are you thinking of cursing Gaston at the castle?" Belle asked. "And somehow connecting his course to the original?"

"That is what I'm thinking, yes," Agathe said. "Theoretically, Gaston breaking his curse would break the original. I don't know for sure but that would be the hope. Like I say it's very experimental, not something attempted before to my knowledge. And of course there's the possibility Gaston would not succeed in lifting his curse, which means we still have the consequences of the first, with the second added to it. Consequences I would make much less severe, but there is that chance. If you agree to it, it would be a gamble." She paused, looking at the expressions of all three gathered with her, noting the worry evident. "As I said, any person or animal on site has to be cursed as well for their own protection. I would even have to place Beast under the new curse. Even though you're already enchanted Beast, it's possible, likely even, that the new magic would cause you to be dangerously disoriented. While you of course would have to stay, since your form doesn't exactly allow you to travel, I would give Belle and Maurice the option to stay or leave."

"This seems like a bad idea," Beast said. "I'm not even sure I want to contemplate what curse you'd give me on top of this." He gestured to himself. "I don't think we should."

"Wait a minute," Belle said. "We do want our friends back, right? We want them to be freed from the objects they're imprisoned in. Agathe says this might be the best way to go about it. Let's hear her out fully before dismissing the idea. Agathe, what would be Gaston's curse, and what would you do to those of us who remain?"

"I haven't completely decided upon Gaston's curse," Agathe said. "I'm trying to come up with a disability that would make him reliant on the undeserved kindness of those he's harmed for his basic needs, without making it so severe that he ends up being too much of a burden if the curse becomes permanent."

Beast shifted uncomfortably. So Gaston would be in their care, very disabled, potentially forever? He wasn't liking where this was going, but he knew Belle was right. For the sake of their friends, they needed to hear Agathe out completely, and not be too quick to reject the idea.

"As for the rest of you," Agathe continued, "I will make your part of it pretty mild. Basically you'll be stuck on the castle grounds for the duration of the curse. As would Philippe. There will be an invisible wall of sorts about an inch inside the actual wall surrounding the grounds, and the wall will of course block the gate. Try to leave, you run into the wall, and get knocked back on your...um...derriere, and are dazed for a couple minutes or so. As I say, Belle and Maurice you may leave before the curse is placed if you wish. I must advise that should you leave, you won't remember the castle or anyone in it, since I'll have to clear anyone under the curse from all outside memory for the duration of the curse." Agathe paused to let this sink in. "Because you have been wronged by Gaston and I wish to include those he's wronged in the curse, I hope you'll choose to stay. Though of course he will end up doing wrong against the Beast if he makes an attempt on his life. But I think it's only fair that I give you the opportunity to leave. I would suggest though that you use the portal book instead of taking Philippe through the woods, as you do not want to run into Gaston before he arrives."

"I will not leave Beast," Belle said.

"I will not leave Belle or Beast," the fatherly Maurice decided. "If all that happens to us is we can't leave, that's not so bad. The idea of forgetting my own daughter existed, potentially forever, is far worse. Plus I've taken it upon myself to be the sort of father figure that Beast's own father failed to be, telling him I was here if he needed advice or support. So I will not leave for those reasons."

"If we do this," Beast said, "you both do realize your choice will condemn yourselves to be trapped here, potentially for eternity, with someone as unsavory as Gaston?"

"I would consider it a far worse condemnation to be without you, to even forget you existed, for eternity," Belle said, taking his paw.

"Same here," Maurice said.

The struggle going on inside Beast's mind and heart was clearly evident on his face. He wanted to do whatever was needed to free his servants, his friends, but to take on another curse, being literally trapped on the grounds, having to care for a man such as Gaston? And if it was a sure thing, that might make it an easier task to accept. But not only might Gaston fail, causing his curse to become permanent, but that would also mean failure to help their friends. It didn't make Beast feel any better about the situation to know that Belle and Maurice, who would have the choice to leave, made it clear that they would stay and willingly become part of the curse. Then there was the issue of not being sure he himself wanted to return to human form. Oh yes, that's right, Agathe had hoped he might elaborate on that one didn't she?

"I...don't know..." Beast said. "This doesn't sound like a wise thing to do. But then doing nothing but waiting for the magic to drain on my curse, meaning the staff is condemned to remain as they are for so long...that doesn't seem wise either. Not when there's something we can try. But if we try and it fails..." He trailed off.

"How likely do you think Gaston is to succeed, Agathe?" Belle asked.

"It's hard to say," Agathe said. "He has such a big ego, and can be so stubborn and dense, and in his mind he can do no wrong, a notion which the other villagers are all too happy to bolster...Beast had a lot of hurt and anger from his past that had to be dealt with, but there was always some good deep within his soul. Does Gaston have good in him? I could tell Beast had the potential...but with Gaston that potential is harder to spot. Is it there? I'd like to think so, but it may be harder to get to it than it was for Beast. I think there's so much more that has to be cleared away. That's why whatever I do to him would have to really knock his ego down a few pegs. Or a few hundred pegs."

"Is there _no_ other way to reverse my curse without connecting it to another?" Beast asked. "Could you not just restore the last petal and we confess our love?"

"Easier said than done," Agathe said. "Oh restoring a petal is easy enough. Problem is it has already fallen. The deadline has already passed. I had thought of that actually. The only way it would work is if we went back in time. Which means you and Belle would be rescuing Maurice. The second to last petal fell about when you reached his tree. You wouldn't know this though, since technically it wouldn't have happened yet. Or would be just happening rather."

"So we'd be in the same situation we were in the other night," Belle said.

"Correct," Agathe said. "Not to mention time travel is...complicated. I could get your current selves back in time to that tree, but you'd be seeing your former selves. It would have to be your former selves breaking the curse. I'm not sure I'm skilled enough yet to actually get you back inside your former selves and make it so your current selves didn't yet exist."

It was odd listening to Agathe speak of former selves and current selves, when it had not been quite 36 hours between the two. But clearly, that plan was out.

Then Beast thought of something.

"Agathe...if we do this, can we only use the new curse to hopefully free the staff? I've given some thought and I think, as much as I've loathed being a beast for so long, I'd prefer to remain this way. It is how Belle and I fell in love. If the whole curse reverses, I'll be restored to my status as Prince of this land. I'll have all kinds of royal duties and won't have the time to just be with Belle anymore. Not as much as now. And it may be too much of a reminder of how I was before the curse. Maybe being back in that lifestyle would cause me to slip back into my old ways. That's a road I do not wish to travel again."

"That would be tricky," Agathe said. "But before we get too far into the feasibility of it, you need to have a full understanding of just what it is you are asking. You are very human in mind and heart, but your body is that of an animal. Therefore, while you and Belle are in love, you can never marry, not in any official capacity. And certain...activities...would be out of the question. Which of course means you could not have children if you wished, unless you were to take in an orphan. Which means one would have to present itself, since a beast walking into an orphanage would be ill-received. Have you considered such issues, and whether or not Belle would be all right to keep the relationship within certain boundaries?"

Beast hung his head. He hadn't considered those issues. After a moment he looked up at Belle.

"I'm sorry," he said. "I should have thought of what remaining a beast would mean for you. If the curse cannot be lifted this is how it is but I'm sorry I ever thought to willingly put you in a position to be stuck in a relationship with a creature like me. One where there are such boundaries."

Belle reached up and ran her fingers through his mane.

"I love you for who you are inside," she said. "I love the man within the creature. And, if truth be told, I love the creature too...the fur and fangs, claws and horns, the tail...it's all part of your charm. I would...miss it if it all went away." She smiled lovingly at him. "But I want you to be how you would be happier. If you'd be more comfortable in the body of a man, I hope you can achieve that. If the body of a beast is what you wish, that is my wish too. If you're all right with the boundaries that would require, then I am too. All my life I've wanted adventure in the great wide somewhere. But now I just want to be at your side, even if it means living in a secluded castle in the permanently wintery woods."

Beast cupped a paw around Belle's cheek, allowing his fingers to mingle with her hair. His deep blue eyes gazed softly into her brown ones.

"This is one reason why I love you Belle," he said softly. "But I don't want you giving up your dreams on my account. If remaining a Beast would hinder your quest for adventure-"

"I'm not giving up my dreams," Belle interrupted. "They've simply changed...matured. I've realized I don't need to gallop across the great wide somewhere for adventure. Not that I wouldn't mind travelling if the opportunity presented itself, but I've found plenty of adventure here. With you."

"If I remain a Beast," he said. "I won't be returned to my status as a Prince. While that's fine with me, like I said I'd rather not go back to it...it does mean you'd never be the princess you could be if my title were restored."

"Oh please," Belle said. "You think that's a dealbreaker for me? When I first met Madame de Garderobe, she insisted upon dressing me like a princess, even when I said I wasn't one. The very idea of me being a princess was awkward. If you were restored to your status I'd take on the role to be with you, because being with you is the most important thing to me, but it's really not the lifestyle I'd prefer."

Well, Beast knew now that Belle would be all right with him remaining a Beast. But would her father approve?

"Maurice," Beast began awkwardly, "what about you? I know it's proper to ask a girl's father for his blessing to have her hand in marriage...which wouldn't really happen if I remain a beast for...obvious reasons. But if I do remain as I am...would you grant your blessing...your approval...for us to be...well...as close to married as the situation we're in could ever allow?"

"You're the second person to seek my daughter's hand," Maurice said. "Though the first sought official marriage and being human could have done so. He would seem the ideal man to give my daughter's hand to. Good looking, war veteran, skilled hunter. But he only wanted her because of her looks and the challenge she presented by rebuffing his advances. I got a very good view of his true colors and denied him my blessing. Which as you know from watching in the mirror, he did not take it well. I've also seen your true colors Beast."

Beast hung his head in shame. Maurice had indeed seen how ruthless he could be, and he was sure that's what Maurice meant.

"Look back up at me please," Maurice said. "Don't hang your head when I haven't said anything for you to be ashamed of. I said I've seen your true colors, but haven't said they are bad."

"You don't have to," Beast said. "Out in that rose garden..."

"That was you at your worst," Maurice said. "But it was a facade, a front, just like Gaston's good looks and offers of 'help' are the front he puts up. Once Gaston drops his facade, well you've seen the result. I'd like to tell you what happens when you drop your front and let the real you be seen. But _do_ lift your head up, _please_? It's not really something I'd prefer to tell the top of your head."

Beast slowly lifted his head, nervously awaiting what Maurice might say.

"Thank you," Maurice said. "Much better. You, in contrast to Gaston, are gentle and kind, even humble. You love Belle for who she is, not how she looks or how challenging she is as 'prey'. I can tell that were she not to love you and want to be with you, you would respect that. You are well aware of the boundaries your current situation presents to your relationship with Belle and I know I can trust you to keep within those boundaries. I do not for one second trust that Gaston would have any such respect for boundaries. I can't think of someone I'd rather grant my daughter's hand to besides you. While you two may not be able to marry given your difference in species, and unless you become human never can, you both have my full blessing to live as close to it as possible."

A small smile formed on Beast's furry face. Then it grew into a grin as his heart filled with gratitude and joy at what he had heard.

"I think I'm glad I didn't make you say that to the top of my head," he said with a chuckle. He turned to Agathe. "It seems we are all fine with what my remaining a Beast would mean. So I think I can safely say that is my wish."

"One more thing I will ask you to consider," Agathe said. "I am not saying it would be wrong to choose not to go back to royal life. But I would urge you to give some thought. Are you all right with leaving your subjects without a ruler? Again I'm not saying this decision would be wrong...as long as it is not one you make lightly."

Beast thought for a moment.

"There's still a monarchy," he said. "There is, right? And I'm not a direct descendant of the King, so not a likely heir. I believe several cousins would have to die for me to be in position to inherit the throne. So if I'm correct I need only consider this part of France that is under me. Is this right or need I consider things on a national level?"

"You are right," Agathe said. "The local principality is all that may or may not be affected by your decision."

"All right," Beast said. "Were they affected by my...disappearance? And if so how? I know nobody remembers me or the castle, presumably they don't remember this area ever being under rule of a local prince. As far as they know they've only ever been under the national rule of the King, right? Has this been detrimental locally? Have the people suffered not having a local ruler?"

"I can't say we've really suffered," Maurice put in. "Though obviously I don't have memory of how things were before to know the difference. Villeneuve isn't a wealthy town, but we have enough to live comfortably."

"That," Agathe said, "is actually an improvement over how it was. Not wealthy but comfortable. Given your rather...harsh taxation practices, before the villagers were not wealthy and barely putting food in their bellies or clothes on their backs. Not exactly comfortable."

This time Beast had reason to hang his head. When he looked back up, he looked at Maurice and Belle.

"I'm sorry I ever put you and the other villagers through that," he said. "Even though you don't remember having to deal with my heavy taxes...I'm so sorry you ever did." He sighed. "They're definitely better off than they were before. But what about now that I've changed? I mean provided I don't slip back into old habits...old ways... Do they need a local ruler? I really...don't want to go back to royal life. But if they would suffer because of it...then making that choice would be selfish and I'm supposedly not like that anymore. Then again if I still have a selfish streak then they're better off without me as their Prince."

"That you're concerned about selfishness causing them suffering whether you resume your status as Prince or not is admirable," Agathe said. "It tells me that whatever you decide, even if you choose to go with your personal preference, it will not be a selfish decision because you've considered those that were under your rule. If you knew they would suffer because you chose your own preference, I believe you would set your preference aside."

"But I don't know," Beast said desperately. "If I knew, I could decide based on what the right thing to do is. I don't want to return to being a Prince but choosing what I want might be wrong for the people I should be ruling. Or if I choose to return to my royal status maybe that would be wrong for them."

"Calm down," Agathe said softly. "You're letting your anxiety get in the way. Take some deep breaths. Anxiety is not the best guide. You fear making a choice with limited information because it might be wrong. But sometimes you only have limited information. You can't foresee the consequences of every scenario. You have to do the best you can with the information you have. Relax. Ground yourself. Think. What do you know? What information do you have with which to decide?"

Beast did take some deep breaths. Belle placed a hand on his arm. Soon, he managed to calm his nerves.

"I know that when I ruled before, they suffered because of my heavy taxes," he said. "I know they're better off with no local Prince than they were with the one I once was. I know they live comfortably the way things are now. I can gather that if I remain like this it's likely they will continue living comfortably. I know if my status returns, it is possible they'll still live as they do, or if I fall back into my old ways they would suffer again. Or maybe I could use my status to improve their lives further." He sighed. "That last part is giving me some trouble. Without it, I think I could fairly easily choose my own preference. But if I can improve their lives as a Prince yet willingly choose to not have my title restored...what kind of a person does that make me?"

There was silence for a few seconds before Maurice spoke up.

"Remember, we know no different in the village," he said. "Even if, being restored to royalty, you could improve village life, they won't know it until it happens, and never will if you're never restored. It's not like they're going around wishing they had a ruler again since they don't know they ever had one more local than the King. If anything, if you asked them most would probably prefer to continue with the status quo."

"I can also tell you this," Agathe said. "It is not wrong to consider your own wishes and well-being. It only becomes a problem when that is all you consider and do not care about how others might suffer. But you are important. You, Belle, and Maurice are a little family now. It is all right, advisable even, to consider what the right thing to do would be for your family."

"I know Belle would prefer not to have a royal lifestyle," Beast said. "I can't imagine Maurice preferring that lifestyle either..."

He looked questioningly at Maurice, who offered a nod, affirming Beast was correct. Beast took a deep breath and looked at Agathe.

"Considering that the local folks seem not to suffer for my absence," he said slowly, "and considering not only my wishes but those of my family, and considering we are all content with the boundaries that Belle and I must keep our relationship within if I remain a Beast, I think my decision is to remain as I am, as long as the others can have their fate reversed. I have no doubt they are unhappy in their current state."

"Your decision is well thought out," Agathe said. "And I believe it is a sound one. This brings us to the feasibility. It may be tricky since their fate, while different from yours, is part of the same curse you are under. I shall consider feasibility. I don't really need to decide until I actually place the curse. But if I find it not feasible to reverse their fate without reversing yours, that is, if I find that the entire curse must be broken or they will remain as they are now, what would you wish me to do? Do you need to consider it for a bit?"

"No," Beast said without hesitation. "That one is easy. I want them restored if they can be no matter what. If that means I must resume royal status, then so be it."

Suddenly considering Belle and Maurice, Beast looked to them in silent consultation. They both nodded their agreement.

"All right," Agathe said. "This of course depends on the new curse being lifted since both curses will be connected. But I will see if I can connect only the servants to Gaston's curse, and if I must connect the entire original curse to the new one I will do that."

"Thank you," Beast said.

"So are we decided that we will in fact place a second curse?" Agathe asked. "We got on a bit of a tangent considering some issues for if we have another curse. It was a necessary tangent, but we do need to decide if there will be another curse. I do think it is the best chance at restoring the staff, but it won't be without sacrifice for the three of you."

"You mean because we'd have to stay on the grounds, right?" Belle said.

"That's part of it," Agathe said. "And even the portal book wouldn't take you anywhere outside the barrier. You would be, I am sorry to say, well and truly imprisoned on castle grounds." She looked at Beast. "I know you thought I was being cruel leaving the portal book, since it would take you anywhere, but anywhere you might go you wouldn't be welcomed. But at least you _could_ go anywhere. At least you _could_ walk through the gate. With this new curse your part of it would be to be trapped on the grounds. This probably seems more cruel, but I'm trying to be gentle on you all since I regret what I did to the staff, and like I explained anything alive on the grounds must be included for their own protection."

Beast nodded gravely, indicating he understood.

"I can make it so you three have requirements separate from Gaston," Agathe continued. "I would probably stipulate something like you having to forgive Gaston for what he's done to you and those you care about. Do that and you'd be able to leave the grounds either via the book or the gate. This would mean you do not have to rely on Gaston breaking his curse to be free. I would prefer that one of Gaston's requirements be to earn your forgiveness for past deeds in return for showing remorse and changing his ways, much like how Beast had to learn to love and receive it in return. But it wouldn't be separate then and you'd be permanently trapped if he cannot meet all requirements to break his curse. So I would give you the option of making forgiveness separate for each of you so as not to depend upon him for your freedom. Either way, you would spend some time imprisoned."

"If we do this," Belle said, "if you think it is best that we not have it as a separate requirement, I would be all right taking the risk of being stuck here forever. I cannot speak for Papa or Beast but it would be a risk I would be willing to take. Naturally I'd prefer if I could eventually step off grounds if I wanted to but if it's best not to make it separate I'll accept the possible permanence of entrapment."

Beast looked at her, surprised.

"You would give up your happiness, potentially forever?" he asked. "Remember you once rhetorically asked if being happy was possible when not free. Just a couple nights ago as a matter of fact."

"I know Beast," Belle said. "But if that's the best way I'm willing to risk it. Besides with you and Papa here I'll be happy enough."

"I...would be willing as well if it's the best way to handle the new curse," Maurice said. "I trust your judgement Agathe."

"For my part it doesn't much matter," Beast said. "Since I'm asking to remain a beast provided I can do so and still allow the servants to have their part of the curse lifted, I'm looking at permanent entrapment anyway, seeing how I'm not exactly...presentable...as far as being in public is concerned."

"So everyone would be all right with me not giving separate requirements, knowing it could potentially be permanent?" Agathe asked.

All three nodded.

"The next thing...the next sacrifice you would have to make is to be willing to give Gaston a lot of help with, well, living. I haven't decided exactly what I would do, other than it would be some significant disability that would force him to be dependent upon others. He'd probably be an invalid or at least a near invalid. I think the most likely way to reform his character is to really make him hit rock bottom. He's so used to being able to do things like walk where he wants to go, put his own clothes on, basic things, not to mention swooping in for his little 'hero time' thing. I think it would really get his attention if he suddenly couldn't do those things without help. You're not obligated to help him, though I won't do it if you're not willing to do so. Of course, it is best not to help him if he's acting like you owe it to him. He should see that if he's going to have an entitlement complex, people are less inclined to help. He's so used to everyone pandering to his every whim he feels slighted when someone doesn't. You need to know, though, that he will be...high maintenance."

Before anyone could reply, Agathe suddenly got a faraway look in her eyes, as if she no longer looked at those assembled, but rather through them or past them. She had in fact entered a trance-like state. Upon returning to her present surroundings, she spoke once more.

"We need to decide soon. Gaston is at the border of the enchanted part of the forest. My wolves are running interference, and he's used one bullet which of course never reached its intended target because of the spell I placed on his ammunition. We can still deliberate a few moments, but soon I'll need to either prepare for the curse or have the wolves drive him back out of the cursed land."

Beast looked at Belle, then at Maurice.

"I don't like the idea of another curse," he said slowly. "Especially if the chance for success is questionable. But it may be our best shot at getting our friends back. Since you've both stated you'll stay, allowing yourselves to be trapped, potentially forever, what do you think we should do?"

"My opinion," Belle said, "is that as much hardship as it will entail, we should. For the sake of helping our friends, and even for the sake of trying to help Gaston, even though I inwardly cringe at that motivation. Beast, soon before I met you, Gaston was trying to get me on board with the idea of marrying him, I said we could never make each other happy, that no one can change that much. When I met you I might have said the exact same thing about you if you'd posed the idea of us being an item. But then you showed me just how much a person _can_ change. It took something drastic for you to make the change. Maybe...if Gaston experiences something drastic...maybe he can change too. I'll still never want to marry him, because you're the one I love. But if he can change like you have, then it can only be a good thing for anyone around him."

"Do you know how proud I am of you Belle?" Maurice asked. "You have the strength to willingly be cursed, possibly for life, for not only your friends but you have the wisdom and compassion to do it in part to help someone you really don't like." He smiled. "I can't imagine not having the honor of having you as my daughter. Your thinking on the matter is sound. I can't say being under a curse is an idea I'm particularly happy about, but I'm...not opposed. Hopefully it will be worth it in the end."

"Well," Beast said after a moment, "I suppose if Belle and Maurice are all right with it, so am I. I think. Belle has a point. I never thought I would say this, but perhaps the curse you gave me was actually a blessing. A very well-disguised blessing, but I doubt I'd be the person I am today without it. I'd still be the cold, unkind, selfish Prince. That I suppose was the real curse. Perhaps Gaston can change too with something drastic enough. I really hope we don't end up regretting this..." Beast took a deep breath. "Let's do this."

"All right," Agathe said. "I'll have the wolves keep him busy for a bit longer so I can figure out what I'm going to do and if I can set it up so that the servants are restored if he breaks the curse while allowing you Beast to remain as you are as you've requested."

"Agathe," Belle said. "I know the staff won't turn human again unless Gaston lifts his curse. But can you reanimate them at least? Being inanimate, especially while still sentient, has got to be incredibly boring."

"That is...easier said than done," Agathe said. "I'd like to, but remember they're in the condition stipulated by the original curse. Changing that independent of the second curse may be just as difficult as lifting the original independent the second curse. Meaning I don't think what you're asking is doable."

"But what if it's not independent the second curse?" Belle asked. "They're alive, right? And you have to make the curse affect everything alive on the grounds to prevent disorientation, correct? Obviously being inanimate they're safe even if they'll be confused, but do we want them confused and disoriented on top of what they're experiencing now? Suppose for their part of the curse, to protect them from a confused mental state, you cast a reanimation spell on them?"

"I like what you're thinking Belle," Agathe said. "It is sound in theory. But in practice I fear it could be a disaster. If I use a reanimation spell as their protection from confusion, I am worried that may cancel out the part where they become human again if the curse is broken. I don't know for sure that it would but remember, magic is fickle, and I doubt the wolves can keep Gaston occupied long enough for me to figure that out. Now, suppose it does cancel out the part where they are restored to human form. Now consider the fact that any part of the new curse lifts when the new curse is broken. For instance the barrier holding you on the grounds would be part of the second curse, and you will be free of said barrier if and when the curse is lifted. Now suppose for their part of the second curse I reanimate them, and suppose it does prevent them becoming human again when the new curse breaks. What do you think will happen when the second curse is lifted?"

"Oh..." Belle said, realizing the implication.

"The reanimation spell would break and they would return to their current state," Beast said gravely.

"Right," Agathe said. "Becoming inanimate was part of the original curse. I need to tie the staff being restored to humanity with the new curse being lifted, but not try to change anything of the original curse as their protection part of the second. Any reanimation needs to strictly remain part of the original curse. But I do have an idea. I just might be able to do this."

"What are you thinking?" Beast asked.

"Well I was going to return the rose to full bloom and let its wilt keep time like with the original," Agathe said. "But I think I can reverse that. Allow its gradual return to bloom to keep the time. This should let me reverse the progression of the original curse. As petals fell, the castle crumbled and the staff progressed toward their inanimate state. So it stands to reason that I can reverse that progression. As petals return to the stem, the castle will rebuild and the staff will get closer and closer to humanity. If the second curse becomes permanent, that is, the last petal returns to the stem before the conditions are met, the castle and staff would remain just as they were when first transformed originally."

"That would be great," Belle said.

"I do believe I can stipulate that that is the only part of the original curse to reverse and hopefully eventually lift, while leaving the rest of the curse intact," Agathe said. "But Beast, are you sure you want to remain a Beast? I should be able to have you restored with the staff when the second curse is lifted while still keeping all memory of you lost to the world. If you want to stay a Beast that is fine, but that may not be necessary."

"Well Belle said that she'd miss the fur and things," Beast said. "And truth be told I would too. The claws and fangs came in pretty handy rescuing Maurice. Human nails and teeth just wouldn't have been able to tear and chew through that rope."

"Fair enough," Agathe said. "I do have an idea though that I'd like to run by you."

"What's that?" Beast asked.

"Well they say that you can't have your cake and eat it too," Agathe said. "But what if you can? What if I told you there might be a way to remain a Beast, but also not have to keep your relationship within previously discussed boundaries...at least not all the time?"

Agathe offered Belle and Beast a conspiratorial smirk.


	8. See The Soldier

**ladivina, you should really love this chapter's cliffhanger.**

 **Child of Dreams, she's about to. :)**

 **Mustard Lady, if I recall, I think I suggested the portal book to ladivina which is how Belle got Maurice out of there. Then as the story progressed I was wishing Maurice was there. LOL Well, here he will be.**

 **Gordon Lightfoot's song _Don Quixote_ brings us out chapter title. **

**There is an Easter egg to Gaston's eating habits and a cliffhanger!**

"Agathe," Belle said, "as I'm sure you know I can be a bit of a rebel when it comes to adhering to societal norms. But if you're suggesting that Beast and I don't heed the boundaries that we discussed...well there are just certain lines I won't cross."

"But with what I'm thinking you won't have to cross them," Agathe said. "Now don't get too excited, I do need to see if I can actually do this, but I am thinking of trying to come up with something, perhaps that you would wear Beast, like a necklace or ring or something...something unobtrusive and subtle, that would allow you to be in your human form while wearing it. I think I could make it separate from either curse. Basically something that would make you human when wearing it, and you'd be a Beast again upon taking it off. You could potentially marry even, since humans can marry each other. And of course if you want to engage in...certain activities that you can't now because of your current form, that would be possible. And, if Gaston breaks his curse and you're freed from the grounds, you could simply put on the enchanted item and go where you want as a human. So basically you could have the best of both worlds. Again I can't promise, but if that sounds good to you I'd be happy to check into it."

"That would be nice," Beast said. "So I could remain a Beast, but become a human when being a human would be more...convenient? If you could manage that I think I'd like that."

"Me too," Belle said. "But how would we be married while he's in human form? I mean for that I'm sure we'd have to wait until the curse is lifted and memory is restored so Pere Robert at least knows me, and we'd be free of the grounds. But if the curse isn't broken we couldn't leave the grounds and Pere Robert wouldn't know who I am anyway. Not that he couldn't still marry us but it will be hard if the local priest I know doesn't know me."

"Let me give that some thought," Agathe said. "Like I say I think we can make it separate from either curse, which means it needn't be figured out today. I merely wanted to see if you would be in favor of the idea."

"I think we would," Beast said, smiling.

"Now, let's all go to the West Wing," Agathe said. "I'll get the rose since I'll be using that for the new curse. And we can go over things a bit more while we wait."

"Belle and Maurice," Beast said, "would you be opposed to moving into rooms in the West Wing? I'm thinking we'll put Gaston in the East Wing, and even though he'll be disabled I think I'd feel better if you were roomed closer to me than him. Would either of you mind that?"

"I don't," Belle said. "I think I like the idea actually."

"Same here," Maurice said.

"Why don't you three get things moved from the East Wing?" Agathe suggested. "Then meet me in the master bedroom."

Once congregated in Beast's bedchamber, Agathe got right down to an important piece of business.

"Since you've all agreed not to have forgiving Gaston being separate requirements to free you, he will have to earn the forgiveness of each of you as one of his requirements. This is much like how Beast needed to earn Belle's love, except Belle did not know this, since knowing might make her feel compelled to force herself to love him. So as you can probably gather, knowing he must earn your forgiveness poses that potential complication. It is essential that you offer him true forgiveness to break the curse. Just saying you forgive him or trying to forgive him out of obligation won't do it."

"Forgiveness may not come easy for all of us," Beast said. "I expect it's something I'll struggle to do. I'd like to say I have a forgiving nature, and I'm sure I'm more forgiving than I once was. But I'm not sure I'll be able to without working at it. I think it will be a process."

"That's fine," Agathe said. "And understandable. But always keep in mind, if you're not at a point where you are ready to truly forgive, then you're not where you need to be, and you're not likely to get there by trying to force it. Forgiving for the sole purpose of breaking the spell won't break it. You must truly mean it. It must come from your heart, not out of desperation."

All three nodded in understanding.

"Will we have the same amount of time as the original curse?' Beast asked. "I'm not even quite sure how long that was actually, considering our one season climate and seclusion from the outside world. Not to mention I don't think any of us under the original curse, even myself, have physically aged."

"You are right," Agathe said. "You have not physically aged. Chronologically, you're a decade older than you are physically, as the curse has been in effect for that long. The last petal fell on the tenth anniversary. Speaking of which, nobody will age under the new curse either. You'll all be virtually immortal as long as you are under enchantment. I say 'virtually immortal' because you could still succumb to severe enough injury or illness. But you'll be untouched by the eventually terminal aging process as long as the enchantment keeps you from aging. As for time limit, it was so long for you Beast because I knew it might take so long to find a girl able to love you. Gaston will have all he needs right here. I will give you all two years. If he hasn't made the necessary changes by that point...then I fear he is unlikely to ever do so."

"All right," Beast said. "Anything else we ought to know?"

"The first petal will return in a few days," Agathe said. "That is, the last petal that fell at the end of the original curse, thus locking the others in inanimate objects. So that petal returning will reanimate them. You can tell them about the new curse and what is required, and that it must be broken to restore them to humanity. But please ask that they keep that from Gaston. We don't want him trying to break the curse for the sole purpose of trying to be a hero."

Agathe went into a trance-like state again for a moment.

"Gaston is getting closer," she said. "And his friend LeFou is with him and will have to be included in the curse. I must advise that this may pose a bit of a...complication."

"What kind of complication?" Belle asked.

"He is so loyal to Gaston," Agathe said. "And fairly easily intimidated. He is starting to be uncomfortable with the path Gaston is taking, and generally wants his friend to do the right thing, but won't push Gaston if it would either hurt Gaston's ego or Gaston starts getting threatening. You've seen a bit of that with the altercation at the tree."

"He did seem uncomfortable," Beast recalled.

"Yes, but quickly manipulated by Gaston," Belle added.

"Right," Agathe said. "He can be an ally or a hindrance. You must get him alone and impress upon him the importance of _not_ protecting Gaston's ego. Also impress upon him the lack of need to fear repercussions if he doesn't go along with Gaston. Gaston will be too disabled to really cause him harm as long as he's cursed. And if he lifts the curse, his character will have changed to the point he won't be wanting revenge. Best to make sure LeFou doesn't catch wind that the curses are connected. Like I say it's best Gaston not know that, and if LeFou knows he may not be able to resist leaking that fact to Gaston."

Out in the forest, Gaston wasn't having much fun. He was slightly disoriented for some strange reason, and his bullets kept falling to the ground and disappearing whenever they were fired. Not a single wolf had fallen at the business end of his pistol. And these wolves were really giving him a hard time, making it difficult for him to get to the large gates he was slowly managing to get closer to. That seemed to be where the trail was leading.

As if Gaston needed more grief, LeFou seemed to feel the need to be the voice of reason.

"Don't you think maybe we should turn back?" LeFou asked. "I mean, all these wolves and your gun decides now is the perfect time to malfunction."

Gaston, now out of bullets, fired an arrow from his bow at the alpha male of the pack. Disappointingly, the arrow quickly suffered the same fate as the bullets had.

"Not a gun malfunction," Gaston said. "This, LeFou, is magic. It is doing the same to my arrows too. Magic. Winter. Castle. Large hind paw prints. Do you know what this means LeFou?"

"It means we really ought to get out of here?"

"Not even close LeFou!" Gaston said. "It means Maurice isn't two eggs short of five dozen after all! A castle hidden in the woods where it's winter? Check. Magic? Check. Beast? Judging by these paw prints, check. Talking teacups? Well we'll see. But apparently, there is a Beast in a castle and it seems he took Maurice back there. Judging by the hoof and boot prints he likely forced Belle to take part in bringing her father back to his dreadful abode. No, this means we should keep going. I get to run in there, slay the monster, rescue my bride and future father-in-law, and they'll both be so grateful that Maurice will gladly grant me Belle's hand, which she'll be practically shoving at me on a silver platter. No, a _gold_ platter! It's hero time!"

Well, Gaston was nothing if not incredibly full of himself.

Eventually they made it within the castle gates and away from those wolves. Not only was Gaston out of bullets, but now out of arrows as well. They tied their horses up and went into the castle.

"Are you not the least bit concerned that this castle might be haunted?" LeFou asked tentatively once they were a few steps into the eerie foyer.

"Don't lose your nerve LeFou," the ever-confident war captain said.

Just then, a growling figure jumped in front of them from the shadows. Gaston and LeFou were face to face with the Beast!

"You're trespassing!" the Beast growled. "Get out of here. Now."

"I am afraid we cannot," Gaston said. "I have reason to believe you are holding my fiancé Belle and her father. I have come to rescue them."

"You must be Gaston," Beast said. "From what Belle has told me, she is _not_ your fiancé, as she has no intention to marry you. Now go. If I have to say it again, I guarantee you, you will wish you'd left the first time."

"Let's go Gaston," LeFou said. "I'm not sure we want to provoke his wrath."

"Wise friend you have there Gaston," Beast said.

But Gaston had other ideas. He drew out his hunting knife and ran to the Beast. He hit the Beast with such force he knocked him backwards, burying the blade in the large creature's chest.


	9. It Was Not A Pretty Sight

**In keeping with the chapter naming theme, the song that I'm borrowing lyrics from for the title of this chapter is Gordon Lightfoot's _Uncle Toad Said_. **

**ladivina, you need not wait any longer.**

 **Mustard Lady, I cannot wait for your commentary on Gaston's attitude this chapter. He's nothing if not smug for as long as he can be, right?**

 **Child of Dreams, that it is, but as you see this chapter he's a little slow on the up take of that fact. It would have gone slightly easier for him if he hadn't gone that far, but he did, so he earned a little addition to his curse.**

 **civilwarrose, in the prologue (1991 and 2017), we're told that failure to meet the requirements in time will result in him being a beast 'for all time' (though in 1991 we know he does age since he's given an age deadline), and in 2017, up in the tower when Belle questions the severity of the penalty her father received, Beast says he received 'eternal damnation' for a rose. I assume he's referring to the curse and not the 'afterlife' kind, since the curse was placed when he refused hospitality in return for a rose. We know that he can be fatally injured, certainly we know that from the climax but also after the wolf fight he may well have died had Belle not taken him back and helped him. But other than that I suspect the curse arrested physical aging, so absent fatal illness/injury he probably wouldn't 'die of old age'.**

 **Okay, just a note on the curse. I'm no expert on spinal cord injuries, but I gave him issues with weakness/paralysis that, according to a bit of research, he would be expected to face if he received a spinal cord injury around the 5th cervical vertebra. I'm not sure if full leg paralysis and partial arm paralysis is realistic or if it should be partial or full in all four limbs. I'm also not weakening his breathing or causing bladder/bowel incontinance which I've read is expected with a c5 spinal cord injury (of course his lack of mobility will mean he still needs assistance with relieving himself). So it's not exactly a spinal cord injury but a curse affecting that part of the spinal cord, but if anyone is curious what his disability might look like in a real life situation, from what I can gather from googling, what he's experiencing is probably closest to a c5 injury.**

The lack of an agonized roar from the Beast surprised Gaston. Or a growl or a scream or whatever this unknown species of animal does when it receives a painful assault. But that was nothing compared to the surprise that happened next.

Blinding white light surrounded the Beast and some invisible force knocked Gaston back into LeFou. Both found themselves on the floor. Before either knew it, the bright light subsided and a beautiful woman with a brilliantly shimmering aura stood where the Beast had fallen. She pulled the knife out of her chest. There was no blood on the knife and no wound to tell that the knife had been there. She tossed the knife into the air where it disappeared. She fixed Gaston with an angry glare.

"You, sir, have just made a mistake," she said sternly. "A very big, stupid mistake. You just plunged a knife into an enchantress in disguise. Even if I had been the real Beast, that stunt you just pulled would still have been a mistake." She turned briefly. "Will the real Beast and the others please step forward?"

Beast, Belle, and Maurice all came out from where they were hiding. They had seen everything.

"Why Belle and Maurice," Gaston, having resumed a vertical position, said, with a big 'look at me I'm the big hero swooping in for the rescue' smile on his face. "I've come to save you from the Beast who is holding you. Maurice, I'm so sorry I ever doubted you. It seems you were right about the Beast. Don't worry though, I'm here to save you now."

"Sorry for doubting me but not sorry for punching my lights out and leaving me to the wolves apparently?" Maurice pointed out.

Agathe considered stepping in and getting right down to business, but she didn't. She found herself rather curious as to how deep Gaston would dig the hole he'd gotten himself into with his response.

"Leave you to the wolves?" Gaston said in feigned shock. "Why Maurice, why would I ever do such a thing? You were just so distraught and what I thought was delusional, you were becoming a danger to yourself and others. I had to render you unconscious for your own protection."

"And then you left him tied to a tree," the real Beast growled. "In a wolf-infested forest. Was _that_ for his own protection as well?"

Gaston thought for a moment. That detail didn't exactly look good for him. But, he was Gaston. And nobody twists unsavory details in his own favor like Gaston!

"Well, I had to somehow restrain him while I figured out if I should have him committed to the asylum," he said. "It wouldn't do to have him wake up and start causing trouble on the ride, now would it?" He turned to the woman previously disguised as the Beast. "Now Madame Enchantress, it's hero time, and I am out of bullets and arrows. Would you be so kind as to give me back my knife? I'm sorry for the inconvenience I caused thinking you were the Beast. But now that I know who the real Beast is, I can get back to it."

"I will not," Agathe said. "And I must say, I believe you've missed your true calling, Gaston. You're a skilled hunter and think of yourself as a big war hero, but I think you should have been a gravedigger. See, you are very good at digging holes. Very deep holes. Like the one you've dug for yourself and just keep digging deeper each time you open your mouth."

"I'm just doing what a brave hero does," Gaston said. "He slays the monster who threatens his bride and rides off with her into the sunset."

"I would love to see just how much deeper you might dig yourself," Agathe said. "But I think this would be a good time to get down to business. See, appearing to you as the Beast was me testing you, to give you a chance to do the right thing and avoid the curse I have ready for you. And you, you big great hero you, have failed the test. Miserably."

"Hah!" Gaston said, his usual cocky self not intimidated. "You can't curse me! I am Gaston after all! I'd like to just see you try!"

"Oh she can," Beast said. "She cursed me to look like this after I failed the test she put to me. If I were you I'd stop digging that hole she mentioned."

"Oh," Agathe said. "I will have you know that I am no stranger to you. Allow me to take on the form you're familiar with..."

Agathe shifted to her beggar appearance. She could cast spells in any form, she didn't have to be in her true form. And truth be told, she'd spent so long appearing as a spinster that's how she was most comfortable. Plus, she wanted to see the look on Gaston's face when he was cursed by the 'filthy hag' as he so _eloquently_ put it at every opportunity that presented itself.

"Agathe?" Gaston laughed. "Surely a filthy hag of all people can't curse _me_!"

"Um, Gaston?" LeFou inserted himself into the conversation. "Don't you think you should stop digging?"

"Wise advice again, LeFou," Agathe said. "I know you tried to get him to turn back before even entering the gates. You tried to talk him down from leaving Maurice to be eaten by wolves." She gave LeFou a sorrowful look. "You have tried to get your friend to do the right thing. I regret that you're to find yourself caught up in the curse, but I'm afraid it cannot be helped. For the safety of everyone on castle grounds when a curse is placed, it must involve anyone alive on the premesis. I'm making the part of the curse that affects everybody mild, but still something I wish you didn't have to be caught up in." She turned back to Gaston, ready to wipe that smug grin off his face. "As for you Gaston, being the main recipient of the curse, you'll have it more severe. I could turn you into a Beast, because that's how you act, but there's already one beast and I think I know what just might teach you the lesson you desperately need to learn."

"Like I need to learn a lesson," Gaston scoffed. "Right, _Hagathe_. I know everything I need to."

"Hagathe, hmm?" Agathe said. "Insulting the enchantress who is about to curse you is definitely ill-advised." She took a deep breath. "You do need to learn a lesson. Several as a matter of fact. To facilitate this learning, I am going to make it so that things don't just come easy for you, and you will have to rely on the kindness of those you have harmed for your basic needs. I am going to curse your spine, and you will be completely paralyzed from the waist down with no feeling in your legs. It will be high enough on the spine that your arms will be weak and limited in what they can do. So you won't be completely quadriplegic but not far from it. You will need help with the most mundane of tasks, such as putting on clothing, getting from place to place in the castle, relieving yourself, and possibly even eating. You will be trapped on castle grounds by an invisible barrier, as will everybody alive on the grounds right now." She paused to let this sink in. "This would have been about the extent of your punishment. However, not only did you not leave when told to do so, but you attempted murder upon the Beast. Yes, I say upon the Beast even though it was my bosom that sheathed your knife, since he is who was your intended and presumed victim. So, because of this, you will have an ever-present ache in the middle of your chest where the knife went in. I will show a small mercy in that the pain won't go as deep as the blade did and it won't make it painful to breathe, but there will be a significant ache to remind you that that stunt of yours was a mistake. Now, I am going to tell you the requirements that you must meet in order to break your curse and regain your mobility. Listen carefully, because there's quite a bit. Are you ready?"

"Sure Hagathe," Gaston said with a smirk. "I'm ready."

Beast, Belle, Maurice, and even LeFou stood staring incredulously at Gaston. He was just told of the unpleasant curse he was about to have placed upon him, and he was _still_ smirking? Even LeFou, who knew him the best of the group, was amazed.

"Here are your requirements," Agathe said. "You must learn empathy and compassion for others. You must let go of your ego and learn humility. You must realize and admit that the assistance you receive from those you've wronged, that is offended or harmed in some way, is given to you because they are compassionate people, not because they owe it to you or that you are deserving of it. You must realize and acknowledge that you've not been the hero you've perceived yourself to be. You must realize and acknowledge that the world and those in it are not yours to manipulate for your own selfish gain. You must realize and acknowledge that Belle is not prey for you to hunt down and conquer, that she has a right to choose who she gives her heart to and who she doesn't. You must get to know the Beast for the person he truly is inside. You must take responsibility for what you have done that has harmed others. You must be genuinely remorseful for what you have done and in return, you must earn true forgiveness from each of the four trapped with you on the grounds. Make no mistake you have wronged all of them, including LeFou who is supposedly your best friend. You must learn to trust them and earn their trust. You must also be a friend to them and earn their friendship. LeFou might give you his friendship already, but I can guarantee you are not well liked by the other three. Now, do you have any questions?"

"Nope," Gaston said casually, somehow _still_ managing a smug smirk.

This was a smug smirk that Agathe was just about ready to put an end to. She took the rose stem out of her pocket.

"This stem is from the rose that kept time on Beast's curse. I gave him a decade because he needed to wait for someone, who turned out to be Belle, to help him meet his requirements. Sadly something came up at the last moment that prevented them meeting the conditions on time. You have with you those you require to help you, so you don't need to wait for them to come along so you'll have less time. Beast's curse became permanent when the last petal fell from this rose. In your case, instead of wilting, the rose will return to full bloom over a two year period. You must meet the prescribed requirements by the time the last petal returns to the stem to lift your curse. If the last petal returns before you've met your conditions, your curse will remain in effect for all time."

Agathe pointed the stem at Gaston and began her incantation. Gaston yelled out as a sharp pain entered the back of his neck near the shoulders. His legs buckled underneath him and lost all sensation, causing him to fall to the floor. His arms became weak with diminished sensation. And yes, an ache settled at his chest.

Once this was complete, Agathe released the stem from her hand and it flew back towards the West Wing. She turned to the other four present.

"As you know, you and anything else alive will be confined to the castle grounds for the duration of the curse," she said. "And as you Beast, Belle, and Maurice know, nobody will physically age for the duration, making you essentially immortal, absent a fatal illness or injury. I will return tomorrow evening to see how things are going."

With that, Agathe disappeared. Everybody looked at Gaston, whose smug expression was finally gone. In its place was a look of shock and anxiety, as if he never actually believed what Agathe said would actually happen to him.


	10. You Seen Better Days

**The song I borrowed lyrics from for this chapter is** ** _Carefree Highway_** **by Gordon Lightfoot.**

 **Mustard Lady, oh yes I can see why you thought of that scene from The Lion King.**

 **"They call me MADAME HAGATHE!" LOL**

 **Funny thing is, when I was a kid, I wondered why he was so ticked when Bonzai called him a pig but not when Simba did earlier.**

 **Pumbaa: "I ate like a pig!"**

 **Simba: "Pumbaa, you _are_ a pig."**

 **Pumbaa: "Oh. Right."**

 **I get it now. Simba called him a pig affectionately. Bonzai not so much.**

 **Actually what struck me yesterday was that part happened very soon after Timon and Pumbaa did their little "dress in drag and do the hula" hyena distraction.**

 **Timon: "He's a big pig."**

 **Pumbaa: "Yep yep."**

 **Timon: "You can be a big pig too!"**

 **Of course, like Simba, Timon's his buddy so he wouldn't get too upset. But it _is_ funny that he's perfectly okay with being called a pig to the hyenas, but when a hyena calls him a pig, stand back! **

**Okay...digression over...**

 **Ladivina, Well, keep in mind somebody's going to have to carry him around, and that's probably not gonna be the pudgy short guy. But yes LeFou will probably be doing a fair amount. Of course, Gaston is stubborn and doesn't _want_ help, not in the way he needs it, so it will be interesting to see how Gaston treats his 'best friend'. He may not be able to lash out physically, but Agathe did not I'm pair his ability to speak. **

Beast, Belle, Maurice and LeFou all stood staring at Gaston, lying on the floor of the entrance hall, waiting to see how he would respond to what just happened. After a moment of just lying there with a shocked expression, Gaston began to try to move. He was able to move his arms around, though they were weak, had diminished feeling, and his wrists and hands were numb and paralyzed.

Numb and paralyzed was also quite an accurate description of his legs. The legs that carried him wherever he wanted to go his whole life were now useless appendages. They were there but they might as well not have been. He tried to get them to move, but they would not. He tried to sit up, but found the muscles required for that were weak, and his torso lifted about an inch off the ground before falling back to the floor. He found his arms were not strong enough to bear weight for him to sit.

And of course that nagging ache in his chest just added another, in his mind completely unnecessary, level of unpleasantness. If you asked him, this whole curse was completely unnecessary and undeserved.

The four others stood watching. None of them enjoyed watching a man flounder helplessly, even if he did deserve the curse, but LeFou was likely the most bothered, just sadly watching his friend. The great, strong war hero Gaston, who could conquer just about any obstacle, was now helpless to do anything besides wiggle around on the floor, trying in vain to make his body cooperate.

And Gaston was getting frustrated.

"That filthy old hag!" he shouted. "She had no right doing this to me! No right! I am Gaston, and no one does _this_ to Gaston! I'll show her! I'll make my body do what I tell it! I don't have to do what _she_ says! Just wait and see!"

"It took me a while to come to terms with my curse too," Beast said. "I didn't want to admit that the only way to break it was to fulfill the conditions she set. It eventually became impossible to deny. The sooner you recognize and come to terms with the fact that nothing will break your curse outside of the conditions Agathe specified, the better off you'll be."

"Shut up Beast," Gaston said rudely. "I don't need a lecture from a creature that resembles something whose hide I'd use as a rug."

"Just trying to help," Beast said, a little irked by the insult. "Denying the truth will not do yourself any favors."

"I said SHUT UP BEAST!" Gaston yelled.

"Gaston," LeFou said, kneeling by his friend and putting a hand on his shoulder. "Think happy thoughts. Go back to the war. Remember that one enemy soldier you shot and he suffered similar paralysis to what you've got? Remember how you let him writhe for a while before you put him out of his misery? Think of that Gaston."

"That would be a happy thought if I weren't in that state now," Gaston grumbled. "Now I'd like to think of anything but this."

"All right," LeFou said. "That's understandable. Think of all the blood, explosions, countless widows..."

"Widows," Gaston said, becoming visibly calmer.

Beast, Belle, and Maurice looked at each other incredulously. This is what had temporarily calmed Gaston in the woods before he knocked Maurice out, but it was still unbelievable that something so disturbing had such a calming effect on him. Maurice just shook his head.

Well, at least Gaston was calm. For now anyway. It was well into evening now, and Beast decided now would be a good time to take Gaston and LeFou to their new rooms.

"I'll show you two to your rooms," he said. "Gaston, I will have to carry you. I know you don't like that, I don't like it anymore than you do. But that's how it shall be." He turned to Belle and Maurice. "Would you wait in the parlor? I'll be down soon."

Upon receiving nods from Belle and Maurice, Beast carefully gathered Gaston into his arms and started walking.

"LeFou, if you'll follow me please, we'll head to the East Wing."

Once in the East Wing, Beast looked towards Belle's former room, thinking he'd put Gaston there. But he elected to put him in Maurice's old room. While neither Gaston nor LeFou needed to know who once occupied these rooms, Beast found himself not enjoying the idea of Gaston sleeping on the bed Belle had spent months sleeping on, considering he felt entitled to have her as his wife. So he went to the door of Maurice's former bedroom.

"LeFou, would you mind opening the door?"

LeFou did this and they entered the room.

"Gaston," Beast said. "Before I put you in the bed, perhaps it would be a good idea if you relieve yourself. I'll help you with the chamberpot."

"No," Gaston said firmly. "I do not need help with the chamberpot."

"You don't need to go?" Beast asked incredulously.

"When I do," Gaston said, "I will figure out how to get there myself."

Beast contemplated pointing out the pesky fact that seemed obvious to anyone _but_ Gaston. Gaston _wouldn't_ be able to get himself there, no matter how much figuring he tried to do. But he decided since Gaston was so stubborn, it would be best to let him learn the hard way.

"I wish you good luck with that," he said, laying Gaston on the bed after LeFou had turned the covers down.

Beast walked to the door while LeFou brought the covers over his friend. Once he joined Beast, they left Gaston and went to the room across the hall.

"This will be your room," Beast said as he opened the door. "I hope you'll be comfortable here."

"Thank you," LeFou said politely, stepping inside and looking around his new room. "And I'm sorry for the inconvenience, having to be host to us and having us stuck in your home and all."

"It's not your fault," Beast replied. "Seems you tried to be the voice of reason." He sighed. "Would you mind coming down to the parlor with me? I think we'd like to have a little chat with you."

Once all were seated in the parlor, LeFou gave Maurice a remorseful look.

"Uh, Maurice?" he said tentatively. "I believe I owe you an apology. You know, for what happened in the woods. I tried to talk Gaston into considering alternatives, but his mind was made up."

"Apology accepted LeFou," Maurice said kindly. "And really I don't blame you. I know you tried to get him calm before he knocked me out. Though I can't say I much enjoyed how you did it. Same as what you did a little while ago."

"Yes," Belle added. "Blood, explosions, and widows? Happy thoughts?"

"They are to him," LeFou said grimly. "Disturbing I know. And not what makes me happy. But it does him, and a happy Gaston is a calm Gaston, and sometimes going back to the battlefield is the only way to get him calm."

"I know you're very loyal to Gaston and don't like seeing him upset," Belle said. "And it must be hard seeing your best friend in his current state. But if he's to meet the requirements Agathe gave him for breaking the curse, encouraging him to return to those 'happy thoughts' may not be wise."

"But Gaston gets really mad sometimes," LeFou countered. "And when that happens he gets dangerous." He looked at Maurice. "You've seen this first hand Maurice."

"This is true," Maurice said. "And I know you can find him intimidating. But he poses no threat in his current state. It's best not to give into whatever demands he might make. Besides, with the implication of what his reaction to thinking about the widows says about how he values women, and the very thought of him wanting to marry my daughter, I hope not to see him calmed by those thoughts again."

Beast hung his head. He had been on the promiscuous side before the curse was placed. If Maurice had known this, surely he wouldn't want Beast within ten feet of Belle either.

"But he could get even once the curse is broken." LeFou pointed out. "He'll pose a threat then."

"No," Beast said softly, lifting his head again. "You needn't worry about that. If he breaks the curse, it is because he's met Agathe's requirements. That means he will have changed enough to not entertain vengeful ideas."

"But even with that being true, shouldn't we seek to keep him calm? And in good spirits? As much as possible with him having lost his dignity?"

"He's going to lose what dignity he has left soon I'm afraid," Beast looked sympathetically at LeFou. "Being cursed has a tendency to do that. And as hard as it is for you to accept, it has to be that way. And stroking his ego will not help. He must not be enabled to continue in his current mindset."

"But I hate seeing him unhappy," LeFou said.

"Do you like seeing him disabled?"

"Of course not!"

"Well he will be that way as long as his ego and mindset remain intact," Beast said. "Agathe gave him a curse designed to make his mindset difficult to maintain. He _has_ to experience frustration that is not placated. When he gets upset it's best to let his anger run its course. The more you try to placate him, the more time it will take for him to learn some of the things he must, if learning those things isn't completely blocked."

"Think of it as you're actually helping him even if it doesn't seem like it," Belle said.

"I'll try," LeFou said with some reluctance. "It'll be hard though. I'm so used to boosting his ego. I never really questioned his actions until recently. Actually not until we were with Maurice in the woods did I really start questioning his behavior. Though in hindsight there were things I should have questioned, but refused to see."

"We'll help you remember," Beast gently patted LeFou's arm. "But now perhaps we should all retire for the night. It has been a long day for everybody."


	11. And So We Cried

**Child of Dreams, he is, isn't he? This is something out friends may soon have to rectify.**

 **Mustard Lady, your wait for this chapter is finally over.**

 **Banzi, thanks. :)**

 **Christianqueenofegypt, hmm, baby/toddler might have been interesting. Though he might not learn from his past mistakes without adult maturity (though I suppose his maturity levels are a bit debatable, aren't they?).**

 **This is a Maurice/Beast centered chapter. It fascinates me that they started off on such bad terms but I think they could develop a strong bond with Maurice acting as a father figure to Beast. And, as ladivina pointed out in a PM, he could help repair the damage Beast's own father caused. I really like exploring these two interacting.**

 **This chapter's title, going along with the naming theme, is borrowed from Gordon Lightfoot's _Never Too Close_. **

After everyone had retired for the night, Beast found himself unable to sleep. He wondered just _what_ he and the others had gotten themselves into by agreeing to the new curse. Gaston sure was a real piece of work. Would they be able to reform his character in two years? Well, like Agathe said, if he hadn't changed by then it was doubtful that he would.

Beast had been a piece of work himself. And today he'd gotten a reminder of that when Maurice called Gaston on how he enjoyed reminiscing on having his way with widows during the war. The erstwhile prince's lifestyle was nothing if not promiscuous. And to think Maurice had given his blessing for Beast and Belle to have a relationship as close to marriage as their species difference could allow. At least, if Agathe was in fact able to find a way for him to switch to human form at will, since he had decided he wished to remain in Beast form the majority of the time, they could forget those boundaries while in human form. But it may not even matter. If Maurice knew about what Beast had been up to, surely he would not have approved of him being close to Belle.

Beast knew it would only be right to tell Maurice the truth, even knowing that would likely cause him to withdraw his approval. This wasn't something Maurice should find out by accident. Not that that was likely, but still, if it happened, Beast was sure it would be worse than if he took it upon himself to be up front. So he resolved to tell Maurice the ugly truth, and let the consequences be what they may.

He had been pacing his room, but this seemed not enough. He had all this nervous energy to work out before he had hope of sleeping. So he left his room and began anxiously pacing the corridor. He didn't realize that his steps had caused much noise until he heard Maurice's concerned voice.

"You all right, Beast?"

Beast turned to see the older man standing in the doorway of his bedroom.

"I'm all right," Beast said, offering a small smile. "I'm sorry...did I wake you with my pacing?"

"I was up reading when I heard you. Sounded pretty anxious, and you look troubled. Want to come in and have a chat?"

"I don't want to trouble you."

"Nonsense," the fatherly gentleman said. "No trouble at all. Come on in."

They went in and sat next to each other on the edge of Maurice's bed. What should Beast talk about? The curse, or the confession he had to make? He hadn't counted on talking about _that_ tonight, but perhaps this would be as good a time as any. Maurice seemed to lead the conversation in that direction anyway.

"Is it the Gaston issue that has you troubled?" he asked. "He is unbelievable. And the idea that thinking of his way with widows calming him is just disturbing. He sure doesn't have much respect for women, and to think he wants to marry my daughter!"

"Yeah," Beast shifted uncomfortably. _If Maurice only knew I'm not any better_ , he thought.

"Something's bothering you about that," Maurice said. "Something seemed to bother you when I mentioned my thoughts to Gaston."

Well, here we go. Confession time. Beast only hoped it wouldn't go as poorly as he was expecting.

"I had asked if you would approve of Belle and I being as close as possible to married that my form would allow," he said. "You said we both have your blessing. But you didn't know something about me, and I think it's only right that I tell you. I know you will most likely withdraw your blessing and wish Belle and I to be as far from each other as possible, and I want you to know I won't hold it against you."

"What makes you think I would not want you near my daughter?"

Beast hung his head. He took a few breaths to calm himself as much as he could. It was time.

"I'm really no better than Gaston," his voice was barely above a whisper. "As a prince, I was rather...promiscuous. I never took advantage of widows, but I am...not a virgin. And I'm responsible for several young maidens losing their virginity."

Silence fell as Beast awaited the harsh condemnation that was sure to follow such an admission. Maurice sat there stunned for a moment, though after giving it some thought, he realized it shouldn't be that surprising. But it was something that Maurice felt rather awkward hearing from the one who loved his daughter and won her heart.

But somehow Maurice couldn't find it in him to be angry with Beast. He could tell Beast was haunted by this part of his past, which was more than could be said for Gaston, who seemed to relish such memories.

Beast finally found the courage to look up and meet Maurice's gaze. He expected to see anger and condemnation, but only found compassion in the older man's eyes. This was somehow harder to see than the judgement he knew he deserved.

"You are better than Gaston, you know," Maurice said gently, laying a hand on Beast's forearm. "He does not seem bothered by his past behavior. You seem quite haunted by yours."

Beast took a shaky breath.

"I am."

"You wouldn't consider the women you slept with to be 'happy thoughts', would you?"

"Absolutely not. I'm horrified by the man I used to be."

"You're sorry for your mistakes and have learned from them," Maurice said gently. "I wouldn't consider withdrawing my approval. Who you were is not who you are. I would suggest you let Belle know though. You wouldn't want her finding out by accident."

"Right," Beast sighed.

"Who Gaston was is who he still is," Maurice said. "Which brings us to his curse. Is that troubling you too?"

"It is," Beast admitted. "I'm not sure if we did the right thing, taking on trying to reform him. I mean if I could be reformed maybe he could be too. But maybe he can't. Then we'll be stuck with him forever. You've known him a long time right? Do you think he can change?"

"I don't know," Maurice looked contemplative. "His arrogance is astounding. He smirked right up until Agathe left him lying helpless on the floor. It's like he thought the whole thing was a joke until it actually happened."

"I know. When Agathe first revealed herself as an enchantress, I immediately begged for forgiveness. It was too late of course, but I was an arrogant man myself, yet my ego abandoned me in that moment. I just _knew_ she was fixing to do something drastic."

"Yet Gaston maintained his ego. And continues to act like he doesn't really need to do what Agathe says."

"We may have bitten off more than we can chew," Beast said, looking down at his paws. "I'm sorry Maurice. I feel bad that you and Belle are trapped here, potentially forever, with Gaston. I feel bad for LeFou too. I know he's Gaston's friend, but he seemed to want Gaston to make better decisions and now he's caught up in this mess. It just seemed the best way to help the servants."

"At least they'll be able to move again when the first petal returns. Even if this new curse becomes permanent and they're not returned to humanity, at least they'll have meaningful life."

"That's my only consolation," Beast whispered, "that either way, at least they won't be inanimate much longer. I was so horrible. They've always cared about me well beyond professional duty...they were my friends...my family...and I never appreciated them or treated them kindly until recently. And because of me they're greatly suffering."

Beast was beginning to feel overwhelmed by the emotions of everything. An errant tear dared to slide down his furry face, which he quickly wiped away with a paw. He squeezed his eyes shut to keep more of those audacious saline drops from escaping. He stifled a sob that was preposterous enough to dare make its way into his mouth, trying to disguise it as a small cough.

He felt a strong yet gentle hand at his back, patting it a couple times before resting between his shoulders. Maurice had not missed Beast's sudden emotional struggle.

"You need not suppress your emotions," Maurice said softly.

"I...was taught...to do so," Beast said, trying to keep his voice steady. "Men, I was taught, should...not show the weakness...of tears. Especially...not a Prince."

"I know the stigma around males and emotions," Maurice said. "I can only imagine the stigma is worse when you're royalty. But I think it is unfair either way. No one should be expected to hold everything in."

"I remember my mother believed that way. That's one of the things she and my father fought over. When she died, I let myself cry exactly one time. A mistake I dared not repeat, as it earned me a fairly severe beating from my father."

"I'm so sorry. Your father did a lot of damage to you, didn't he?"

Beast nodded.

"When Belle's mother passed she was just a baby," Maurice said. "She has no independent memory of her. I did shed tears but not once she was old enough to remember. Not in front of Belle anyway. I could never tell her what really happened, as I've always had a lot of guilt. Still do. I don't know how I'd have gotten through raising her if I'd made myself suppress all my grief and guilt."

"Has Belle told you yet about how we found out what happened to her mother?"

"No. How...how is that possible?"

"I'm not sure it's my place to tell that story," Beast said. "She should be the one to if she chooses. But you did what you had to do."

"Which was to leave her to suffer and die alone," Maurice said, now close to tears himself. "I abandoned my wife. She told me to, so Belle wouldn't be taken by the plague too. I had to protect her."

Maurice was softly crying now. He was releasing some grief that had surfaced, definitely, but there was more to it. He hoped seeing him let go would help Beast to let go of his own emotions. He hoped to help repair some of the damage Beast's father had inflicted upon him.

This did have the desired effect, as soon man and Beast cried in each other's arms. Each experiencing his own catharsis while trying to console the other.

Beast found himself leaning into Maurice's embrace. He did not know until now what it was even like to be cared for, _loved_ , even, by a father figure. He realized now for the first time that paternal affection was something he had needed and craved his whole life, but had been lacking until now.

And when he returned to his own room, he was finally able to sleep, with a new appreciation for the man who had forgiven his past behavior and accepted him so completely, even in spite of the confession he made at the beginning of their conversation.


	12. Don't Be Rude

**Christianqueenofegypt, it's a relationship I really enjoy exploring.**

 **Banzi, thanks.**

 **Mustard Lady, it seemed like something Maurice would say to me. He can see Beast has come a long way. Gaston? Not so much.**

 **Guest, yep, there is some drama going down this chapter. Some messy, even smelly drama.**

 **The song that lends lyrics to the title of this chapter is Gordon Lightfoot's _Cold On The Shoulder_. Don't be rude...advice Gaston fails to follow here. **

The next morning, LeFou awoke and went across the hall to check on Gaston. His nose told him something wasn't quite right. Gaston's mood confirmed it.

"Gosh Gaston, your bed smells like a chamberpot," LeFou said. "What happened?"

"I couldn't get myself to the chamberpot," Gaston said, clearly in a bad mood. "And I could no longer hold it."

"Well you know, the Beast offered to help you with that last night. I guess you should have taken the help. If you had you wouldn't be in this mess."

"Oh spare me the lecture you idiot. I wouldn't be in this mess if that hag hadn't put me in this position."

"Well I guess I'll go get some help moving you."

LeFou quickly left to find help, hoping someone else was awake. Thankfully he saw Belle, Beast, and Maurice at the bottom of the main staircase. He ran to catch up with them.

"Morning," he said. "Uh, Monsieur Beast? If you have a moment, Gaston needs to be moved, and bathed, as soon as possible. He should have let you help him last night with the chamberpot. But since he didn't...well..."

"I wish he had," Beast said with a grimace.

"Me too," LeFou said. "From the smell, I think it's numbers one and two."

"Ugh," Beast sighed. "Belle, would you mind getting water around so we can bathe him? I'll see if I can find some clothes from when I was a human he could borrow."

Once water was heated and clothes were located, LeFou, Beast, and Belle went into Gaston's room. Beast wondered if Gaston would admit he should have allowed help with the chamberpot.

"I thought you were going to figure out how to get yourself to the chamberpot since you didn't see the need for help," he said dryly. "How did that plan work out for you?"

"Worked great," Gaston said with angry sarcasm. "Got anymore stupid questions, Beast?"

"Is that your way of admitting you should have let me help you use the chamberpot?"

"It's my way of saying the old hag shouldn't have done what she did."

Beast sighed. Gaston just wasn't getting it, was he? Agathe wouldn't have cursed him if he hadn't been in need of a wake-up call. And this was a pretty messy wake-up call indeed. If only Gaston took ownership for this one.

"Bath is ready," Belle said. "I'll change the bedding while you're getting him cleaned up."

As Beast and LeFou got Gaston undressed and into the tub, Gaston complained bitterly about needing this kind of help.

"And if I _must_ have this kind of help," he said with irritation, "why isn't _Belle_ helping me? She should be the one bathing me, being that I _am_ her fiancé, even if she's still refusing to admit it."

"Well, she is kind of busy with your bedclothes," LeFou pointed out. "That's helping isn't it?"

"Shut up LeFou," Gaston said icily.

"Perhaps you should be the one shutting up," Beast growled. He was holding Gaston in a seated position while LeFou washed the liquid and solid waste from his body, and had to resist the temptation to tighten his hold so his claws dug into Gaston's flesh. It was not going to do anyone any good to hurt him, and Beast was better than that. But it was tempting. But he decided he need not hold back from giving Gaston a good chewing out. "What a rude ingrate you are. You should be thankful we are helping you at all and not leaving you to wallow in your excrement for awhile. Perhaps that's what we _should_ do since you're complaining so much and seem to think you're entitled to Belle being at your service. And she is _not_ your fiancé. She does _not_ wish to marry you. And frankly I don't blame her. She deserves better than you. Based on how enjoyable you find reminiscing about taking advantage of widows, it does not seem as if you value or respect women at all. Belle deserves someone who will respect her, not treat her as his property put on this earth to cater to his every whim. It is clear you don't love her. You just feel entitled to own her. That, sir, is a disgrace."

Perhaps it had to do with the harshness of Beast's tone, but Gaston managed to think better of making further comment. For the time being anyway. Beast was sure the reprieve would be short-lived before Gaston graced them with more arrogant rudeness.

To his chagrin, Beast's suspicion was proven right at the breakfast table. As Belle placed Gaston's food in front of him, a smug smile crossed his face.

"One good thing has come of this curse," he said. "At least you're coming around, Belle. Cooking me a nice breakfast. Soon you'll completely come to your senses, my dear."

Belle, Beast, and Maurice all gave him unamused glares.

"Gaston," Belle said sternly, "I have never taken leave of my senses. I made you breakfast because you need food, not because I have any affection for you. We all need food, and if you take a moment to come to your own senses you will notice that I have prepared breakfast for all of us. You are not special in that regard."

"And in what regard am I special, my darling?"

If Gaston was fishing for a compliment, and of course he was, his tactic was swift in backfiring.

"You are e _special_ ly annoying and rude, like a burr stuck in my hair after riding Philippe through the forest."

Beast couldn't help but chuckle at Belle's astute analogy, as well as the offended expression with which Gaston responded.

Gaston went to take a drink, but could not grasp his glass to lift it. But he was Gaston, and wasn't about to ask for help in doing something as simple as taking a drink of milk. So he kept trying.

"A word to the wise, if you even remotely qualify," Maurice said. "You're going to need help with that. Accept help before you knock over that glass of milk. I would think after the indignity you went through in your bedroom for refusing assistance you'd like to save yourself further embarrassment."

Gaston glared at him but ignored his advice, and soon Maurice's prediction was realized.

"Well, there you go. I didn't think you qualified as wise, but I thought I'd try."

LeFou quickly cleaned up the spill.

After this, Gaston went to eat, but if course could not grasp his silverware. Did he learn anything from the milk spill and concede the need for help? Of course not! He kept trying, and, after getting frustrated, simply dove face first into his food.

This Beast actually understood, having long dispensed with cutlery before Belle arrived since it was so awkward in his massive paws. He had taken to eating that way, until Belle helped him find some workarounds, like sipping from a bowl. But Gaston did not need to resort to such eating habits, considering LeFou seemed like he wouldn't mind helping him. But of course Gaston was not about to acquiesce to being spoonfed.

Food was all over Gaston's face when he looked up. LeFou quickly went to clean his face, but set the napkin down when Gaston glared coldly at him.

"Let him help you," Beast said. "You need to be cleaned up and you can't do it yourself."

"No," Gaston said rudely. "I won't have someone cleaning my face."

"It's how it must be," Beast said. "Either let LeFou clean you, or I will clean you."

"If someone must clean me, I want Belle to do it," Gaston demanded.

"LeFou and Beast are more than capable," Belle said. "One of them will do just as good a job as I can."

"I want _you_ to clean my face," Gaston said, looking as if he expected Belle to obey him at once.

"Your choice is to let LeFou help you, or I will," Beast growled.

"I want Belle to do it!" Gaston yelled.

Beast was fed up with this. He stood up and walked to Gaston.

"Since you are refusing to choose among the options given, apparently you need me to make the decision for you."

Beast picked up the napkin and started wiping Gaston's face. Gaston moved his head around, trying to make it difficult, but a strong paw at the back of the neck held his head still, putting a stop to his movements. This allowed Beast to get the job done quickly and efficiently.

That afternoon, Beast went into the library where he figured he could find Belle reading. He was right of course...well, sort of. She was sitting on a couch in the library with a book. However she wasn't reading it. Sometimes she would fall asleep with a book, so this wasn't concerning in itself. What did concern Beast was that Belle just sat there, book in her lap, appearing lost in some rather troubled thoughts. He sat on the couch beside her.

"Hi," she said.

"Hello," Beast answered. "You look like you may be troubled. Is something wrong?"

A flood of tears now came forth.

"I'm feeling overwhelmed," she said. "He still thinks he's entitled to me and he's so rude and arrogant and still manages his smug moments. This may have been a big mistake. We may be stuck like this forever."

"It's all right," he said, the deep rumble of his voice soothing. He held her close to him as she completely surrendered to the sobs that escaped her. "It will be anyway. At the very least he will eventually realize that he needs help, and fighting it will only increase his indignity unnecessarily."

She leaned into his embrace as she cried, never wanting to leave his arms. Eventually she calmed, and gently pulled back so she could look into his deep blue eyes.

"Thank you," she said. "I know whatever happens will be bearable with you."


	13. To Know What Kind Of Shape They're In

**Mustard Lady, I was looking forward to your commentary and you did not disappoint! They're going to have to figure out something to get through to rude boy whiny butt aren't they? Yes it is good nobody has to deal with him alone.**

 **Banzi, thanks. :)**

 **rubbernoseswampdonkey, LOL**

 **Faller Lover15, next update is...right...about...now.**

 **This chapter was challenging to title according to my chapter naming challenge. Ladivina looked up some Gordon Lightfoot lyrics and had a suggestion, and I thought of some lyrics from a song, but neither quite clicked for me. Then I remembered the song** ** _Alberta Bound_** **, looked up the lyrics to make sure I remembered the line I was thinking right, and it is that song that brings us our title for this chapter.**

Belle and Beast went into Beast's room shortly before bed. Agathe had yet to come and they knew she planned to, so they decided to go into the master bedroom and wait for a while.

"I can hardly wait for Agathe to come," Belle said. "I think she'll be interested to hear about how the first day went with Gaston."

"I'm sure," Beast said.

"Were you this difficult when first cursed?"

"Oh I was difficult until after you showed up Belle. I don't know if I was difficult in the way Gaston is, but I was never paralyzed either. With either curse, there's an adjustment period. I was so used to having quite an impeccable outward appearance. Suddenly looking like a monster was not easy to accept. Gaston is used to doing things on his own. And having people adore him and not question or challenge him. Losing his independence, and being around people who won't give into all his demands, will not be easy for him to accept. I'm not surprised he's handling it poorly. I don't condone his behavior, but I do understand where it's coming from."

"How long until you adjusted?" Belle asked. "You were difficult until after I came, but that was nearly a decade in. Surely you were...used to things before that point?"

"Used to things, and resigned to my fate," Beast said. "I changed after you came because I had new hope. I tried not to get too hopeful but it's not every day that a pretty young maiden finds her way onto these grounds. So hope crept in. But I'd lost all hope years before you showed up. I'd accepted the situation I was in, and quickly after that resigned myself to remain this way for all time. With Gaston, our first challenge will be to just hang in there while he comes to terms and accepts his situation. Our next challenge will be to keep him from losing hope and resigning himself to remain in his situation once he's accepted its reality."

"Quite insightful my dear Beast."

Belle and Beast turned to see Agathe standing by the door.

"Belle, do you know if your father is still up?" Agathe asked. "His input would be nice."

Belle walked to the table with the rose and mirror, picked up the mirror, and asked to see her father.

"He's just entering the West Wing probably on his way to his room," she said, setting down the mirror.

Agathe stepped out into the corridor, returning a moment later with Maurice. All took seats.

"Well," Agathe said, "I wanted to check up on you folks and see how you've coped over the first day. I'm sure it hasn't been easy for any of you."

"No it hasn't," Belle said frankly.

"Gaston is very stubborn," Beast said. "He's taking the curse pretty poorly, which is to be expected. He can't do the things he's always been able to do but doesn't want help. Last night I offered to help him with the chamberpot before bed. He refused. I asked if he didn't need to go and he said when he does he'll figure out how to get himself to it. I was going to point out that he was _unable_ to get himself there, but could see he was stubborn and would probably have to learn the hard way. So I wished him luck and put him in the bed."

"Did he learn the hard way?" Agathe asked.

"Oh he did. LeFou came down this morning asking for help in moving and bathing Gaston. He had been unable, of course, to get himself to the chamberpot, and unable to hold his bladder or bowels. LeFou and I bathed him while Belle took care of his bedclothes. He thought he should be entitled to Belle bathing him. I gave him a piece of my mind about that."

"Then there was breakfast," Belle said. "Stubborn again, not wanting help, spilling milk _after_ Papa advised he let someone help with it. Then dove face first into his food when he couldn't grasp his flatware and made a mess of himself. He didn't want anyone helping to clean his face. Trouble is he couldn't do it. Gave LeFou quite the glare when he tried to help. Beast said either let LeFou clean him or he would. Gaston got pretty demanding that I be the one to clean him, but I said LeFou and Beast were both capable. He kept insisting I do it until Beast just went over to him and got the job done himself."

"I really don't like how he feels entitled to my daughter," Maurice said. "The aforementioned examples, plus he rather smugly stated that at least Belle was cooking for him 'as it should be' and said she would come to her senses. I'd say it was a frustrating first day from where I sat."

"I didn't give into his demands," Belle said. "Like I said I told him the others were quite capable. If he wants me to do something he's not going to get it by acting all entitled."

"That is good," Agathe said. "Belle and Beast, you may want to let Gaston see that you two love each other. I'm not saying you have to go overboard with it or anything but it wouldn't be a bad idea to let him see that Belle is taken."

"Probably a good idea," Beast said.

"How are things with LeFou?" Agathe asked. "He could help or hinder, being Gaston's best friend. He might be able to talk sense into him or enable his ego."

"I think it's a bit of a struggle," Belle said. "I'm not sure what to think. He's not quite as enthusiastic in his encouragement of Gaston. We had a chat with him last night about enabling. He may understand that enabling is best avoided or maybe he just doesn't know what to make of this whole curse business."

"Could be either," Agathe said.

"I think it's a struggle for the young man," Maurice said. "He's so used to boosting Gaston's ego. I can tell it's hard for him not to."

"Are any of you regretting taking this on?" Agathe asked. "Do either of you Belle and Maurice regret staying?"

"I don't for half a second regret staying," Belle said. "I'd never have left Beast on his own. Even with LeFou...well as we've established he's a challenge in his own right. As for regretting the whole thing, I'm not ready to say that yet. I did get kind of overwhelmed earlier today after having to listen to Gaston thinking he was entitled to me. And I know it's a long shot trying to get Gaston to change for the better. But if it gets our friends back it's worth it, and it will really be worth it if he breaks his curse and frees our friends from their curse. If not, at least they won't be inanimate."

Beast and Maurice nodded in agreement.

"Agathe, speaking of the servants, I have a question," Beast said. "You said it was best if Gaston and LeFou do not know that the curses are connected. But when the first petal returns, there will suddenly be walking, talking houseware. I have no doubt they'll find that a little...startling. What should we tell them?"

"That is a good question," Agathe said. "You can tell them that because the rose that kept time on your curse by dropping petals, causing the staff to become more objectified with each petal lost as well as structural damage to the castle, is keeping time on Gaston's curse by reversing the wilt, the progressive damage of your curse is reversing. That when the last petal returns the castle and staff will be in the condition in which I left them after first placing the curse. Just don't tell them that breaking his curse can lift the curse on the staff. The progression that occurred as the rose was wilting is reversing because the wilt is reversing. Please make sure the staff know that this is all we want Gaston and LeFou hearing. We don't want Gaston trying to meet his requirements just to satisfy his hero complex."

"Right," Beast said.

"There is another regret I have with the original curse," Agathe said. "That is not providing a way that I could be contacted in the case of questions or concerns. I probably wouldn't have left you, Beast, with a way to contact me since you, until you started changing for the better, might have abused the privilege. But I wish I'd left a way for the staff to contact me in case of any concerns. With that in mind, I come bearing gifts." She reached into her pocket and produced three small stones. "Beast, I'm still working on the best way to allow you to change forms at will. But I have a stone to give to each of you." She handed the stones to those assembled. "Should you have questions or concerns, just hold your stone in your hand...or paw as the case may be, and say my name. I will then know that my presence is desired. Should I not appear within a minute or so, briefly state what you wish to discuss and I will come as soon as possible. You can keep your stones in your rooms, which is what I recommend, or in your pockets so you always have a way to contact me with you. If you choose the latter, please make sure Gaston and LeFou don't see you using them. It is best, for the time being, if Gaston, and by extension LeFou, do not know that I can be contacted."

"Thank you," Beast said as he placed his stone by the rose and mirror on the pedestal.

"Yes, thank you Agathe," Belle said.

"Being able to make contact with you may prove beneficial," Maurice said. "Thank you, Agathe."

"You are all welcome," Agathe said. "I shall take my leave now. Goodnight and good luck. I hope tomorrow is better than today, but knowing Gaston I'm afraid I wouldn't count on it."

And with that, Agathe was gone.


End file.
